Chesco Students Help Sandy Victims with Drive

Editor's Note: The following information was submitted by Technical College High School Pickering Campus.

Chester County escaped the worst of Hurricane Sandy, but many in neighboring states were not so fortunate. It’s hard to imagine there are those just a few hours away still without basic necessities like food and blankets, but in the wake of the storm, students at Technical College High School (TCHS) Pickering Campus sprang into action to meet those needs.

Students organized a donation drive in less than a week’s time, collecting 29 boxes and bags of supplies ranging from winter jackets to notebooks and pencils. The donated goods are bound for Tuckerton Elementary School in New Jersey, an area that was hit particularly hard by the hurricane.

“Pickering students and staff always amaze me with their extreme generosity,” said Heather Mulford, TCHS Pickering Social Studies teacher and Key Club advisor. “From clothing drives for local shelters to food drives for Philabundance, and now in the midst of a natural disaster – the Pickering family has once again opened their hearts to helping those in need.”

Key Club is a newly formed student organization at TCHS Pickering. Its motto, “Caring - Our Way of Life” dovetails nicely with the school’s existing dedication to community service initiatives. “We believe that the most important step for students to become involved in their communities and the world around them is to foster a sense of caring and responsibility for our fellow citizens,” said Mulford. “Recognizing the needs of the victims of Hurricane Sandy is one thing, acting on those needs and actively doing something to help takes ‘caring’ to a whole new level.”

The high school donation drive is one of four community service projects the students plan to participate in this year.

About TCHS Pickering: TCHS Pickering is a comprehensive, public high school specializing in career and technical education. Students in grades 9-12 attend on a full- or part-time basis (as determined by their home school district). TCHS Pickering serves students in the Great Valley, Owen J. Roberts, Phoenixville Area, Tredyffrin-Easttown and West Chester Area School Districts. For more information, visit www.tchspickering.org.