Leadership gives Calvert ability to make a difference

Bridget Calvert is an energetic sophomore at Cheney High School. She is in a leadership class. That is what Bridget does; she leads.

Soon the class will host an assembly service to honor our veterans on Nov. 1. The class will lead a canned food drive.

Bridget said, "All people are welcome to bring canned food to the high school. On the first and second weeks of November, food will be distributed to the needy. We will let kids know they can bring any food back that they got from trick-or-treating on Halloween. If they're going to the school game then we tell them to bring the food and give it to the families to take home."

Bridget is always thinking of something to help somebody. She said, "The leadership class gathered kids that had behavior issues and helped them to prepare for high school.Leadership includes every person. We do not leave them alone by themselves."

Bridget is class treasurer. It is part of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support program (PBIS), a behavioral program that sets an example for the kids at the school.

Bridget said, "Some of us from PBIS went to camp this summer called Chewelah Peak Leadership Camp. We met there with 20 other schools in Washington state. We talked about ways to get everybody involved.

"There were ideas for assemblies and for the canned food drive. We shared ideas about donating used prom dresses for girls that couldn't afford to buy one."

Bridget likes to play tennis. She said, "I lettered and was the only freshman to make varsity." She also was on the honor roll this year.

She loves to go to somebody's house and ask for canned food. She says, "Then we say to them, 'We scare hunger!' It makes a big impression and encourages more people to do the same."

I told you Bridget was energetic.

Luella Dow is a Cheney-area author. She can be reached at [email protected].