CCES Senior, Molly Morgan, Turns a Need into an Opportunity for Young Students to Help Others

Molly Morgan is a senior at Christ Church Episcopal School. Like most seniors, her life is uniquely exciting and hectic as she embarks upon these last months of high school. It is a time that is rightfully focused on oneself – college or other post grad decisions looming, final exams or presentations, and a myriad of celebratory events. And yet, in the midst of all of this, Molly saw an opportunity to look outward, spearheading an effort to help stock the pantry shelves at the Ronald McDonald House on Grove Road. 

 

The mission of Ronald McDonald House is to “keep families with sick children together and near the care and resources they need” – a mission that has deeply resonated with Molly. “No one wants to experience the misfortune of having a sick child, and no one wants their family separated when enduring this difficult time in their lives. Being involved with this organization gives me the opportunity to support their mission in a concrete way.”

 

This is Molly’s second year serving on Ronald McDonald’s Teen Leadership Board, which is comprised of high school students that serve as ambassadors to their school, families, and peers. “During our February meeting, our leaders let us know that the House was running low on pantry items,” Molly says. Board members were charged with bringing in items on the Urgently Needed List for the March meeting. “Some people went on a Costco run, some did food drives, and others asked for donations. I thought it would be fun to work with the Lower School students to raise awareness about the mission of the House and get to know some of the younger members of our Cavalier community.”

 

Molly presented her idea to Elizabeth Jarrett, CCES Director of Service and Experiential Learning, and Kaytina Mills, CCES Service Learning Coordinator, and quickly launched into action. At a Lower School chapel service on February 27, Molly explained what the Ronald McDonald House does and asked for everyone to bring in some “favorites” by Friday. These favorites included Pop-Tarts, bottled water, cans of soup, granola bars, mini Gatorades and other snacks. 

 

This is not Molly’s first endeavor to help others in the area. Throughout her 13 years at CCES she has had opportunities to work with many organizations around Greenville from Meals on Wheels to Serenity Place to Harvest Hope. “Service learning at CCES has been such an influential part of my time here,” she says. “I’m so grateful to have been able to learn so much about the greater Greenville community alongside learning more about myself and my own values.”

 

Two days after asking the Lower School students for help, Molly was hauling her second carful of goods over to Ronald McDonald House and a final load that Friday. She has enjoyed watching the pantry shelves fill up – proof of what she told her younger counterparts who are just starting their own journeys -- “Always remember that you can make a difference in our community.”