LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) -
A group of high school students spent their weekend paying it forward and giving back to their community.
Hudson High School students had their hands full this weekend helping others. The kids started their new community service oriented organization, "Hornets Helping Hands", off right, at Castle Pines in Hudson.
Hudson High principal, John Courtney and 40 of his students rolled up their sleeves for the fall festival. "What we're going to try and do is get out in the community and just do whatever we can to give back. And show kids that to do something is a little better that just looking at themselves and really getting out in the community and helping others."
The program is designed to get students involved in their local community and teach the value of giving back. Courtney said, "I just hope they learn that life's bigger than just our own needs and the things that we want in life and it's just so fulfilling to reach out and help others whether it's in your own community or anywhere in the world."
Hudson 11th grader, Katie Ratcliff gave her free-time to volunteer because she wanted the residents at Castle Pines to know that she cared about them. "It's not just about us. It's about other people too and I know this is really a blessing to them just to have younger people, younger faces around and I think it's important we realize it's not about us all the time."
10th grader, Taylor Carroll echoed his classmates views on lending a helping hand and says he's glad there is an organization at his school like "Hornets Helping Hands" because he loves helping people but doesn't get many chances to do it. "We're here to help elderly people just to make them feel better about themselves because some people don't get very many visitors here."
The principal says this was just the first of many projects for the "Hornets Helping Hands" this school year. The group has plants to get into some houses in need of repair and paint rooms or do some rebuilding in the near future.
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