Ritenour High School’s Leadership class, consisting of young leaders and mentors, have been putting together and planning for many upcoming school events.

The Leadership class is advised by Tavonda Palmer. Each year it is these students’ responsibility to organize and host the events at Ritenour High School and around the Ritenour School District.

Throughout the school year Leadership hosts a number of dances at Ritenour, including the annual Friendship dance held in conjunction with students who receive services from Special School District.

“The dance basically gives (everyone) something fun to do, and a good bonding experience,” junior Emily Pogue said.

The students work together to create decorations, and come up with ideas for music and food. At the dance the students will be able to eat, dance, take pictures with the Husky, and bond with each other and leadership students.
“This symbolizes friendship, we’re there to show that we’re all friends,” Pogue said.

The Leadership class is also hosting a Blood Drive on February 27 in the North Gym.

“Because there’s a constant need for blood, I encourage people to donate,” senior James Pulliam said, “People replenish their blood over time, and so I really don’t understand why we all can’t help one another.”

Students must be either 16 with parental consent, or older in order to donate. Their goal is to have 80-85 donors.

“People should eat protein, drink a lot of water, get a good night’s rest the night before and eat breakfast to prepare for the blood drive,” Pulliam said.

Students can sign up by approaching a Leadership student and making sure they meet qualifications during lunches.

The Polar Plunge is on February 22 at Creve Coeur Lake. Students can sign up in room 224 with Palmer by February 13. Students raise money for the Special Olympics held in the spring. If $75 is donated the students will get to plunge into the lake.

The Glow Dance is a charity dance in the dark with loud music and neon colors. All the proceeds go towards Ritenour’s Make-A-Wish child Ruth Yarbrough. Ruth wishes to go to Disney World to see Cinderella’s castle in person. Students must have 90% attendance rate eight weeks prior to the dance in order to attend. This year’s Glow dance will be held in the Costilow Field House on March 7.

They are also selling ‘You Don’t Know My Story’ T-shirts, $12 for sizes Small-XL and $14 for XXL and up. All proceeds go towards the Thomas Mitchell Scholarship.

“’You Don’t Know My Story’ is a campaign against bullying,” Palmer said.

T-shirts will be sold in room 224 as well as from Leadership students. All seniors in Ritenour High are eligible to apply for the scholarship. More Information will be given out at a later date.