CHHS program teaching students the value of giving back to the community Medicine Hat News Students presented more than $1,000 they raised to local charities.–NEWS PHOTO PEGGY REVELL

Hard work and generous hearts paid off Monday, as Crescent Heights High School students presented cheques to local charities.

“I think for us, it’s important to us to show youth can be involved in the community, and we want to be involved,” said CHHS student Morgan Fishley, on the importance behind the Community Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy program, which has wrapped up its third year at the school.

As part of the program, students look through the foundation’s annual Vital Signs publication, choose and research a charity, then come up with an entrepreneurial project to raise funds for it. The organization provides nutrition and stability to families who don’t have that, she said.

“No one should go to bed hungry.”

This year, the $3,000 cheque was presented to CMHA an important cause, said student Karly Beatch, because there are students who have mental health issues in their own school, and they need to have supports and to feel comfortable.

“Hopefully the money will go towards and improve someone’s life,” she said.