From car washes to basketball tournaments, students at Herndon High School have been spending what little free time they have planning ways to raise money for hurricane victims.
Students recently handed out a collection bin during the South Lakes-Herndon Baron Cameron Bowl for football watchers to donate to the cause. Leadership students collected $764 that evening.
The basketball team planned an all-day tournament over the weekend for teams to play and spectators to donate $5 to get in to raise money.
Other student-initiated fund-raising efforts include a barbecue and an upcoming "Penny Drive" where students are encouraged to bring in as many pennies as possible to compete against other classes. All money raised will then be donated to the American Red Cross.
Members of the 38-person leadership class also planned a car wash in mid-September and then another event, the Taste of Herndon, at the school's cafeteria last week.
Held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the cafeteria, the event was so popular tickets sold out and people were being turned away at the door, said Becky Hall, math teacher and leadership class advisor.
Each student in the leadership class was required to sell five tickets during the pre-sale period and assist with selling tickets during the lunch hour, said Davis May, also a math teacher and leadership advisor.
Additional tickets were sold at the door, but because of the large attendance not everyone could get in. In total, 230 tickets were sold and $2,300 was raised during the Taste of Herndon event.
The event featured food from Panera, Chick-Fil-A, the Tortilla Factory, Chipotle, Vocelli Pizza, Famous Dave's BBQ and Big Bowl. All food was donated at no cost. The money raised from the event, as well as all the other school initiated events, will go directly to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.
The car wash raised $1,400, allowing students to donate more than $4,400 to the American Red Cross.