Ecology club member Flannery Ragan, a freshman, feeds milk out of a bottle to a calf at Sweet Olive Farm on Oct. 2. In past years, members of the club were regular volunteers at Sweet Olive Farm, a tradition they have continued for the 2021-22 school year by volunteering every Saturday. “We’re planning to (volunteer) every Saturday. Obviously, there will be a few Saturdays where some people can’t go, but every Saturday, there’s going to be some people there from Clarke Central,” senior and Ecology Club president Maggie Kelleher said. Photo courtesy of Maggie Kelleher
After having limited volunteering opportunities due to COVID-19 restrictions, the CCHS Ecology Club members have been volunteering at Sweet Olive Farms, and are excited about more opportunities to serve in the future.
The Clarke Central High School Ecology Club is a science-based community service club that allows students to explore the world around them through service. The club meets every Thursday at 8 a.m. in Room 186.
One of the Ecology Club’s main service areas is Sweet Olive Farm, a local non-profit animal rescue. Members of the club meet every Saturday at 9:00 a.m. to feed animals and help clean stalls and other messes around the farm. Science department teacher and club sponsor Claude Gonzalez believes that volunteering at the farm is a great opportunity for students to spend time outside.
Ecology club president Maggie Kelleher, a senior, (right), and club member Hayla Mramor, a junior, (left), stand outside of Clarke Central High School next to a pile of trash during the Ecology Club trash cleanup on Sept. 30. Other than Sweet Olive Farm, the Ecology Club has participated in other volunteer opportunities like trash clean-ups and tree plantings. “The (Ecology Club) has decided to be extremely active this year. (On Sept. 30) they went and they did a trash pickup around the school,” science department teacher and club sponsor Claude Gonzalez said. “There’s talk about going and helping clean trails for tracking keepers over at Sandy Creek Nature Center.” Photo by Molly Harwell
“The animals (at Sweet Olive Farm) are cool and the people there are very nice. Let’s face it, the majority of the kids in the group are city kids, they would never see it otherwise, and see a working farm otherwise. (Sweet Olive Farm) is really close by, and it gives the kids that opportunity,” Gonzalez said.
Ecology Club president Maggie Kelleher, a senior, admires Sweet Olive Farm’s commitment to caring for their animals.
“It’s nice to see what the farm is doing, because all of these animals have been neglected or abused in some way, so it’s really nice to see that there’s a place for them,” Kelleher said.
According to Gonzalez, club members are looking forward to more volunteer opportunities at Sweet Olive Farm, and are excited about getting to help.
“It’s nice to see what the farm is doing, because all of these animals have been neglected or abused in some way, so it’s really nice to see that there’s a place for them.”
— Maggie Kelleher,
Ecology Club President and senior
“The community service is good for letters of recommendation, (and) for the entire college application process, but these kids just want to really help,” Gonzalez said. “They get letters of recommendation from Sweet Olive Farm, but they’re (really) just going over there to help out with the animals. It’s really good and I’m very proud of them.”
