Parents at Newton High School have organized an academic booster club and are hoping to raise money to help students with various academic endeavors.
Designed like athletic booster clubs, the PASS (Parents Assuring Student Success) Club is open to all parents at NHS as well as local businesses who would like to partner with them. The club's goal is simple: to help support the students academically.
As a new club, the members are working hard to get it off the ground and to raise awareness and interest throughout the community. There are membership fees involved in joining, but they are minimal and go back into the club.
According to Kathleen Stamps, who is currently on the fundraising committee for the club, the goal is to eventually raise enough money so that they could help children who are excelling academically. For example, if a student is excelling and is invited to go to Spain with the Spanish Club, but is unable to afford the trip, the PASS Club could assist with the cost of the trip. Or if an academic club at the school is going to another county to compete, they could help with the cost of that trip for the club.The mission of the club is to "promote and enhance academic achievement for all students at Newton High School. The relationships within the Newton community, which includes students, teachers, staff, parents and stakeholders, are a vital influence on the success of our students. Therefore, our purpose is to foster a sense of support, pride and enthusiasm; to encourage parent and public involvement in Newton High School; and to bring into closer relation the home and the school, that the parents may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth. This organization shall provide service for school functions, engage in fundraising projects, encourage parent and community involvement and cooperate with school administration in providing educational opportunities."
The club members are planning a car wash on May 1 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and are searching for more participants to help. They are also hoping to organize a garage sale later this year and plan on getting a team together for Relay for Life.
Anyone with questions should visit the club's Web site at www.newtoncountyschools.org/newtonhigh/pass.htm. Officers e-mail addresses, sponsorship categories and membership categories are also available at the site. The club also welcomes those interested to attend their next meeting on April 13 at 7 p.m. in the NHS Media Center.
