Columbia students who spend a lot of time playing instruments were instrumental in making a child's day a little better. Each year, members of the Tri-M Music Honor Society at Columbia Middle School create and execute a service project to benefit their community.
This year, the students chose to hold a toy and book drive to help patients at Children's Hospital Colorado. The Tri-M students made multiple schoolwide announcements and encouraged their fellow classmates to bring in donations. After several weeks, they were able to amass a total of 177 new toys and 22 books. In addition to the donations from Columbia students, the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. ~ Delta Delta Sigma Chapter of Denver donated 25 of the toys.
After school recently, the students traveled to the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora to deliver everything. The hospital brought out large yellow bins on wheels and the students loaded multiple boxes of toys and books into the bins. They hope the gifts will bring smiles to the many children who are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
MJ Posey is the Tri-M Historian and a 7th grade student at Columbia. She said the service project was a great opportunity for her and her classmates to make a positive impact. "It makes you feel like you have an important role in the community," she said. "It was amazing, honestly. It was really nice to see students jump out of their comfort zone to help the community."
The Tri-M Music Honor Society at Columbia is composed of students who play in the school's band and orchestra as well as students who sing in the choir.
Prior service projects include anti-bullying campaigns, raising money to buy new equipment for Columbia students with disabilities and raising money for The Trevor Project - a suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth.
Way to go Columbia!