Cape Central Students Give Back to the Community

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) — A group of high school students in Cape Girardeau are learning the power of serving others through the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, a leadership program working to help the community.

The students at Cape Central High School and Notre Dame Regional High School have been actively involved in various service projects, from helping shelters and providing essential supplies for single mothers to organizing food drives for families in need.

“These kids are learning about being servant leaders, helping do good for their community,” said Ashley Radake, the program’s leader at Cape Central. “They have come up with some pretty great ideas to help with different things around the community.”

One of their most impactful projects was a dinner for families in need. The group of 24 students organized a free meal for 150 families, handling everything from fundraising and more.

“They created a flier. They created a Google form for parents to sign up. They went out and got all of the fundraising for it. They got donations, and we ended up feeding 150 families,” Radake said. “We were even able to donate the leftover food to two different places here in Cape. And then we had a whole lot of bakery and desserts that we donated to local churches and the Fred Starr Baptist Food Pantry.”

For students like Nate Roth and Georgia Matukewicz, the opportunity to give back has been something they will always be thankful for.

“It really makes me feel better knowing that they are getting some help,” Roth said. “Seeing people who are in desperate need and being able to help them makes me feel like I can share and give back.”

Matukewicz discusses the importance of service.

“My family always helps people, and it’s something I’ve always looked up to my parents for,” she said. “I just want to help people.”

Now, the students are setting their sights on their next mission, raising funds for the Granting Grace Foundation, an organization dedicated to assisting families in need. Their efforts will kick off during high school girls’ basketball games, continuing their commitment to making a difference in their community.

“You don’t really realize the need that there is until you start looking at it,” Radake said. “And these kids are just amazing in the way they identify needs and then work to fill them.”