Century High School students to open a free store and food pantry on campus

LOS LUNAS — Asking for help can be a difficult thing to do, which is why Century High School students are starting a free store and food pantry on campus to help ensure access to basic necessities.

“Everybody needs help, eventually,” said CHS senior Dominic Jojola about why he wanted to join the class. “I just want to help out the school because I know how it is to not want to speak up about stuff that you don’t have or that you need.”

CHS is an alternative high school in Los Lunas serving about 300 students. Tiffany Karney, who is the service learning class sponsor and a teacher at CHS, said the school was seeking to add more elective classes which led to the idea for a service learning class.

Starting out, Karney said the class is focusing on making a difference within their immediate school community.

“We have a large percentage of students who are served under McKinney-Vento, who are experiencing some form of homelessness or unstable housing,” said Karney. “There were a bunch of options (the students) talked about, and they decided on this, which is huge, really it’s three projects in one.”

The class already has a space set aside on campus to house the free store, which will provide clothing and hygiene items, and the pantry, which they are aiming to stock with nonperishable food.

CHS senior Andre Wasson said the class was inspired by the free store the Los Lunas High School service learning class created, and they thought something similar at CHS would go a long way as they have noticed the need on campus.

“I’d rather help people than see them struggle,” said Wasson. “They hide it, but now that we’re doing this, they don’t have to pay a dime. They can just get stuff and not even have to worry about anything.”

CHS senior Shannon Padilla said being a part of the project is very meaningful to her because she has struggled, too.

“I have a big family, and I know there’s a lot out there that aren’t really supported by their parents, and they have to kind of do it themselves,” said Padilla. “So me being one of those kids, it’s important to me.”

Donations have already been pouring in from the community to help bring the students’ vision to life and, if all goes well, they hope to open it up to their peers by Thanksgiving break.

“Hopefully, no later than Thanksgiving, and definitely before winter break, so people could at least take a good bag for the couple weeks (off campus),” Wasson said.

The students welcome and appreciate donations from the community, and anything they can’t use will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

For the free store, they are seeking donations of new or gently used clothing. With the cooler weather approaching, clothing such as jackets, sweaters and the like are especially appreciated. New, unopened hygiene items are also needed, such as toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant, body wash and feminine hygiene products.

For the food pantry, the students welcome donations of nonperishables such as canned and boxed food, and food that can be eaten without a lot of preparation or tools.

All donations can be taken to the main office at CHS, 32 Sun Valley Road in Los Lunas, specifying it’s for Ms. Karney’s class.

The students said it is their hope that the free store and food pantry will continue once they graduate.

“Hopefully, people carry on the same idea and continue reaching out to people to make it bigger,” said Wasson.

The service learning class students are also making a positive difference outside of school through volunteer work, and next semester, they will take on a capstone project that will further their impact beyond campus.

For instance, an issue Wasson is interested in assisting is homelessness and helping to reunite those experiencing it with their families while helping them find a path forward.

Jojola says an issue important to him is addressing addiction.

“I’ve noticed around here it’s real bad, and I’ve seen what rehab can do and what it can’t do,” he said. “Some people it really can help, but there’s just not enough down here.”

Padilla is passionate about helping to steer youth in the right direction, and is interested in potentially starting a support group “to make sure that these kids that are young and impressionable know that they have somebody that cares.”

“I never realized how many kids, like my age and younger, are addicts to different things, and it’s hard because they don’t have the support from their parents that they should or have role models in their life,” she said.

Karney said the class is always looking for more ways to connect with community partners and are happy to answer questions about their goals and listen to your ideas as well.

To get in touch, call CHS at 505-866-2153 and ask for Ms. Karney.

“I’m so proud of them,” Karney said. “They have great ideas, and they’ve gone out to the community and talked to people, and I think people would be impressed by the quality of their character.”