by Shannon Hutcherson
Assistant yeardisc editor
Growing up in a society where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer is a sad reality and a truth that many don’t like to hear.
People don’t always get their wishes and their needs granted and sometimes only get what they need through blood, sweat and tears – really hard work where you feel it down in your bones.
A lot of students at Southeastern know the hardship of doing without, whether it be a car, a computer to do homework on or even a job to pay the bills and provide for themselves and their families. These students are a part of a community that extends beyond the dorms and cafeteria and out into the city of Durant and beyond.
The Presidential Partner’s Project is a way for students at Southeastern to give back to the local community by donating time and sponsoring a Wal-Mart gift card to a deserving child – a child from the Durant Middle School.
Historically, at least as long as I’ve taken part as a Southeastern student, the Presidential Partner’s Project was always held at the bowling alley and created an environment that promoted having fun and lessened anxiety for all involved. This year, we were all crammed onto the Student Union loft like a can of cheap sardines bought at a Piggly Wiggly.
Originally, an email was sent out that said that participants would be doing Christmas crafts and yet we ended up playing ice-breakers the whole time instead – much to my chagrin as a participant representing a Southeastern organization.
This project is something that is really important to me since it gives me an outlet to help give back to the community in person and gives me concrete proof that I am doing something for a good cause – putting a smile on a child’s face.
Did they deserve? Do they have good grades and attendance? Do they come from a background that warrants generosity?
In my opinion, the ability to put a smile on anyone’s face is the ultimate goal in life – whether that person is a child, a preteen or someone in that awkward stage where they are labeled “teenagers” or even someone at death’s door.