By: Annie Dineen

The BHS chapter of the Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society has provided students with an outlet for service as well as acts of kindness to the Briarcliff community. Despite having to adapt to virtual club meetings and trying to create Covid-safe fundraisers, Rho Kappa has had great success in its community service endeavors so far this year.

        For the cold month of January, Rho Kappa decided to collect coats, vests, hats, scarves, gloves and other winter attire from community members and donate the items to New York Cares, a nonprofit volunteer organization. The coat drive looked a lot different this year, with most of the donations coming from curbside drop-off. While the usual big donation boxes stood in the front hall of the high school and were quickly filled up as students filtered in at 9:15am, Briarcliff’s remote learners and community members without a family member in the high school still wanted to find ways to participate. Mrs. Gualtiere, the honor society’s advisor, offered her home as a site to drop-off donations for people who don’t enter the school building on a regular basis. All in all, Rho Kappa donated 350 adult and children sized winter coats to New York Cares! The honors society can’t wait to continue its excellent work and begin collecting for future canned food drives or ASPCA donation drives.