Alleghany High School seniors hear a presentation about local nonprofits on April 19. The student-led presentation was part of Senior Giving 2024, which generated a total of $4,900 for participating nonprofits. (AHPS Photo)  Â

AHS Senior Class Raises $4,900 for 2024 Give Local Campaign   Low Moor, VA (May 3, 2024) - Graduating seniors at Alleghany High School are giving back to their community by raising $4,900 for the Give Local Alleghany Highlands campaign. Sponsored annually by the Alleghany Foundation, and the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Give Local Alleghany Highlands generates funds that are distributed to participating non-profit organizations that serve the community. This year, the Give Local campaign will run from May 7-21. For the fourth consecutive year, high school seniors participated in the campaign through a Senior Giving opportunity. Senior Giving allows the students to contribute $50 to a nonprofit at no cost to them. The students simply choose the nonprofit they wish to support and the Alleghany Foundation contributes $50. But this year, Senior Giving came with a new twist. Members of the Class of 2024 attended a student-led presentation at Alleghany High School. The presentations were arranged by Kristy Humphreys, who teaches government, and economics/personal finance classes. Students’ work on the presentations counted toward their community service projects. Humphreys also oversees the Senior Service Learning Project at AHS. Following the presentation on April 19, students used their phones and other electronic devices to cast their vote for the nonprofit they chose to support. As an added bonus following the presentation, students showed their screens as proof they voted and received a free snack. Voting remained open through April 24, however. This year, Senior Giving saw its highest rate of participation in its four-year history, with 98 students casting votes. Last year, 72 seniors participated. This is the first year that seniors participated as part of the consolidated Alleghany High School. Among the top vote getters this year were Valley View Animal Rescue, the Alleghany Humane Society, Safehome Systems Inc., the Mountain Gateway Community College Educational Foundation, the Alleghany Highlands YMCA, and Boys Home of Virginia.  “I think the student presentations were fantastic,” said Madge Vosteen, project coordinator for Give Local Alleghany Highlands. “Kristy Humphreys has just taken this Senior Giving project under her wing. It was her idea to have the seniors research the nonprofits and create the slideshow that was used in the presentation. That was a great idea and it personally involved each senior in her government classes. When you personally involve someone that means you have an opportunity to become more invested. They have an ownership stake.” In all, the seniors voted to support 21 local nonprofits. Twenty-nine nonprofits are participating in this year’s campaign.  “It is a wonderful gift for our graduating students to be able to give back to their community in this way – all at no cost to them,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of AHPS.  “We hope that these gifts and the students’ senior service learning projects continue to inspire them to support the community.” Local nonprofits receiving support from this year's senior class include: Mountain View Animal Rescue, the Alleghany Humane Society, Safehome Systems Inc., the Mountain Gateway Community College Educational Foundation, the Alleghany Highlands YMCA, the Alleghany Athletic Club (formerly known as MAC), Boys Home of Virginia, Alleghany County 4-H, the Shawn M. Dunkin Memorial Scholarship Fund, the Alleghany Highlands Community Services Board, Appalfolks of America, Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council, the Salvation Army, the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center, the Alleghany Highlands Trail Club, the Clifton Forge All-Abilities Park, Clifton Forge Main Street Inc., the Clifton Forge School of the Arts, Cora Dance, the Historic Masonic Theatre Preservation Foundation, and the Alleghany Mountain String Project at Garth Newel Music Center in Hot Springs. To learn more about Give Local Alleghany Highlands 2024 visit: www.givelocalah.org/giving-events/AH24.  Give Local includes a special community day of giving on May 21.   The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division was formed on July 1, 2022, through the merger of Alleghany County Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center. The school division serves approximately 2,700 students, and it is jointly funded by Alleghany County, and the City of Covington. School division news and events are regularly updated on Facebook at AHPublicSchools and the AHPS website www.ahps.k12.va.us.

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