![Hosting the SCLA Casptone Mentor Dinner outside allowed for more attendees on September 27, 2021 at Silver Creek. This event would’ve usually been held inside. According to Lauren Kohn, a SCLA 12 teacher, “If we have a higher number of people, as long as we can host the event outside, then that seems to be keeping every[one] safe”.](https://schsnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/sxMAIGbSYGodZkqmrvTi5YWcJ1ssWA08ApkeMLpp-900x675.jpeg)
Silver Creek Leadership Academy (SCLA) is an opportunity for students at Silver Creek High School that teaches students many leadership skills over the course of their high school career. SCLA teachers prepare students for a Capstone project that they complete during their senior year. A capstone project is a year-long project in which students complete a service-oriented task of their choosing.
“The idea is that they have chosen a topic that they’re passionate about, and they work on completing that over the course of the year,” SCLA 12 teacher Lauren Kohn said. “I always tell students, if you have not chosen a capstone project that you’re passionate about, then you’re going to struggle because most don’t want to keep working on it if they aren’t excited about it.”
SCLA Seniors Paige Schleper and Haley Lindberg found passion in UNICEF and formed the project Unity with UNICEF. Their goal is to raise awareness by making a club here at Silver Creek.
UNICEF is the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. UNICEF Saves children’s lives and defends their rights. Making the world safe for children.
“The work they do is providing humanitarian aid to families globally who are impacted by lack of education, war, healthcare disparities,” Schleper explained.
Schleper decided on this topic for her Capstone project due to current events. “The conflict in Palestine and the effect that it had on children, and it’s just heartbreaking to see when kids are displaced from their homes or they can’t go to school anymore,” Schleper said.
“The work UNICEF does is really important, not only in Gaza, but around the world as well,” Schleper explained. “We are also working on fundraisers to raise money for the children’s emergency fund, so it all goes to UNICEF.”.
A struggle that they have faced is outreach because high school students are so busy. “Getting people to come to our meetings has been tough,” Schleper said.
Schleper thinks the most interesting thing is the work UNICEF does.
“It’s just incredible how many people they’re able to help, and in so many different ways, like getting vaccines to areas where people need it,” Schleper said.
The work UNICEF does is amazing all around the world although many people do not know the type of work they do.
“I hope that people like this are learning to have more of a globally minded perspective. And obviously, there are so many problems here in the US, but also just thinking worldwide as people, and fighting for humanity” Schleper explained.
Kohn hopes for students to have learned by the end of their senior year leadership skills. She hopes that they have learned the importance of communication and that they have learned how to be confident.
“I hope that some of the skills that they take away are the ability to stand up for themselves and know that they can have an impact in the world,” Kohn said. Unity for UNICEF is hoping to impact the world one meeting at a time.
UNICEF meetings are on B days during A lunch on Wednesdays in D209 also known as Nixon’s room, for more information about meeting days check their Instagram.
