For Biology teacher, Sharon Wilson, finding new ways to get involved with the school is always on her mind.

“This year I had a couple extra hours on my schedule and I was a former counselor here and so I asked if during those extra hours I could help out in the counseling department. One of the things they hoped that I could work on was the Care Closet,” Mrs. Wilson said.

The Care Closet is a food and toiletries pantry that the high school opened for families in need. Items are donated to the closet so they can be given out for free and starting on Oct. 20 will be open from 8-10 a.m. During this time, people can receive things such as non-perishable foods, toiletries, and clothing. It is expected to be open every Saturday after the opening date.

Counselor Laurie Crimmins originally got the idea from her church and has been wanting to start one at Heights for years. However, up until this year, having enough resources to do it was always a struggle. Bryce Liedtke, Annie Harris, Mackenzie Waggoner, and Makenna Orton all contacted Mrs. Wilson to ask about the food pantry and if there was anything they could do to help.

Harris first heard about the food pantry from another teacher, Mrs. Stacie Borjon. From there, she emailed Mrs. Wilson for ideas on how to get involved.

“Getting involved with the community more is kind of my main goal for this year. I do a lot of school oriented stuff, I’m always here until like five,” Harris said.

There are many ways other students at Shawnee Heights can lend a hand. Getting the word out to others always helps, and donations are welcome anytime of day as long as the school is open. Items such as canned tuna, saltine crackers, and toilet paper are just a few of the things on the schools wishlist that someone can bring to help.