Teens give back with holiday dinner

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MOUNT UNION - Students at Mount Union Area High School are learning a few lessons about life this holiday season.

The school's graduation project classes will host a holiday community dinner on Saturday to benefit local organizations that serve those in need.

Jim Miale, a business teacher at the school, said there are six sections of the graduation project classes that are participating in the event, totaling about 100 students. Every student is required to take the class before graduation, he said.

Last year, the class, in participation with other classes, adopted families through the Huntingdon Salvation Army. They provided gifts for the family's kids, Miale said.

This year, the class decided to do something different.

The dinner, which will be held at the school, will benefit the Huntingdon Salvation Army, the Mount Union area food bank and a few other organizations, Miale said. So far, about 130 tickets to the dinner have been sold, he added.

Through putting together the event, the students had the opportunity to learn a variety of lessons, including organization, planning and promoting, Miale said.

All of the students in each of the sections are participating in the event one way or another, he said. Some have volunteered to sell tickets, others have decided to help decorate for the dinner, and others have chosen to help make the banner and bulletin board. There are different committees, he said, such as a decorating committee, a finance committee and an entertainment committee.

"The ownership that the students have taken has been very rewarding," he said, adding that it's rewarding to see the students putting forth effort.

Brock Goodling, an 11th-grader from Mount Union, said his role in planning the event includes head of decorating. He's in charge of collecting lights and making sure the location of the event is set up and decorated.

He also will be one of the cooks during the event and will help with childcare, a service that will be provided during the dinner for parents with young children, he said.

Goodling said the dinner is important because it helps those in need.

"We're all people," he said. "You've got to help each other out."

Goodling said Christmastime is a great time of year to help out the less fortunate because people are in the mood to give. He also said the graduation project classes are lucky to have such great cooperation and help from all of the students in order to work together for the community.

"It's nice that we have that here," he said.

David Bailey, a 12th-grader from Mount Union, said he has helped sell tickets for the event and has helped put together the banner.

He said if he were someone in need, he would appreciate this type of event that reaches out to the less fortunate. He said it's great that all of the students have come together for a common cause.

"I'm just glad we're all working together," he said.

Kayla Knable, a 12th-grader from Mount Union, said she has been helping out in a few different areas in preparation for the dinner. She was part of a group that went around to area businesses asking for donations, and also has been helping to paint the bulletin board.

Knable said it's good to help out, and she has learned, through going to the different businesses, the importance of business development skills.

"It helps you with talking to the local businesses," she said about the event planning.

The first seating of the dinner will take place at 3:45 p.m., with the second seating at 4:45 p.m., according to a press release by Mount Union Area High School.

The event will feature hors d'oeuvres and dinner in the cafeteria, as well as entertainment in the auditorium by the Mount Union Area Jazz Band and various other artists. Childcare will be provided for young children, which will include a special appearance by Santa, according to the release.

Tickets still are on sale for the event, and donations are being accepted. For more information, visit the Mount Union Area High School Career Exploration/Grad Project Web site at www.mugradproject.webs.com or contact MUAHS business instructors James Miale and Marjorie Love Biddle at (814) 542-2518.