By Ericka Miller

The National Honors Society is one of the many clubs at Miami Lakes Education Center where students join to become active members of their local community. In doing so, they learn the importance of giving back to the community from which they come from and live in. One way the members of NHS demonstrate this is through hosting the NHS Clothing Drive every year before the start of a new school term.

The purpose of this clothing drive is for the students and faculty of MLEC and the Miami Lakes community to donate various items of clothing for those less fortunate in order to aid them in preparation for the new school year. All donated clothes will go to His House Children’s Home, a foster home dedicated to restoring the lives of children from newborn to 18 years old. For years, NHS has worked alongside His House to service the children under the care of this home.

“I see this as a great chance to help out fellow students and start the year off right,” said Kaylee Miranda, the President of NHS. Along with Kaylee, the help of NHS’s Vice President Loubensky, fellow students Nicholas Perez and Luis Milas, as well as History teachers John Moffi and Erica Evans, organizing and spreading the word of the clothing drive was made possible.

This year, NHS’s goal for the drive was to collect as many bath towels as possible and at least 30 pairs of closed toed children shoes – items the children of His House currently lack the most. Luckily, they surpassed this goal with a hefty donation of 62 pairs of shoes from Plasco ID, a local distribution service. And let’s not forget the donation of 36 pairs of shoes and handfuls of bath towels from the students, faculty, and staff of MLEC.

Kaylee states “Meeting the children was the absolute best part of the entire experience. It was amazing to see these children that may not have been dealt the best of cards in life, live such happy lives at His House. Overall it was just an amazing experience and I hope to work with His House again in the new future.”

Events similar to this will be hosted by NHS throughout the school year for even more chances to give back to our community.