This is the story of a simple idea that took flight when placed in the hands of the passionate staff of Rio Norte Junior High School.

The Resourceful Riverhawks group was created because that original idea inspired students to help others and, with the help of compassionate teachers, allowed the students to move beyond the school into the community.

The concept began in the library. “I read about Valentines for Vets in a local paper,” said Kristian VaVerka, library media technician. “The kids here are great. They love to do things for other people, so I put the word out to some kids to see if they were interested.” They gathered after school and had fun making cards for hospitalized veterans who were forgotten on Valentine’s Day.

When Nancy Phillips, special education teacher, went to the library after school to pick up her oldest daughter, she was impressed with the project and the enthusiasm of the students. “Kristian’s a kind person that decided to do something,” Phillips commented. When Phillips mentioned to assistant principal Betti Sternberg that she thought the project was exciting, Sternberg encouraged Phillips to develop a community services group. Sternberg had a friend with a large, long standing group at Sierra Vista Junior High and she helped Phillips get the Resourceful Riverhawks started. It was as simple as that.

What the Resourceful Riverhawks accomplishes isn’t simple. It’s meaningful and fun at the same time. “I went to the first meeting and liked it, so I signed up. We would go on fun field trips to clean the rivers and it sounded really interesting. I just like helping so I wanted to do it,” said seventh-grader Kailey Marquez. After hearing the announcement about the club, another seventh-grader, Hind Hattar, wanted to join. “I thought it was interesting to help people and help the environment,” she commented.

In December the whole group visits Summerhill Villa. “Last year we sang carols and played games with the elderly at Summerhill so that was really nice,” said Abbie Phillips, Nancy’s daughter. “I liked seeing how happy it made them.”

As they were heading for home the most common response was, “When are we going back?” noted Nancy. The group would like to visit several times a year but the cost of the school bus is prohibitive.

The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life was a memorable activity for the eighth grade students who participated last year. Abbie wasn’t in town for the Santa Clarita walk, but had a personal reason for participating in the Minnesota relay. “My mom is a breast cancer survivor,” she said. “I think it helps people who are going through breast cancer and people who survived. Helping other people with the changes they have to make. Also helping people who have died from breast cancer.”

The group meets during lunch on Wednesday with Jase St. Peter, science teacher, to plan future events. This year they helped clean up the Santa Clara River at the River Rally in September. Each student brings ideas of service projects they would like to see accomplished. Kailey would like to walk to nearby Tesoro Elementary and read to the kindergarten students. Olivia Held, a Girl Scout, would like to gather other troops and share with them how to be environmentally friendly. Hind is looking forward to helping with the school’s recycling program. The students encourage recycling and have been working hard to keep the campus litter free. Their work is paying off because the campus is clean and well maintained.

The Resourceful Riverhawks have reached out in many ways during the past few years. The school has adopted families through the Hunger Defense Fund (now called “Help the Children”). St. Peter took students to join community members for the ceremony for Valencia Water Company’s Groundwater Softening Demonstration Project, which is a new water filtering system near the school.

Their outreach includes collecting filled backpacks for students at Emblem Elementary, a party for the often unrecognized and hard working yearbook staff and a baby food drive for the SCV Food Pantry. Kathi Giddens, counselor, learned that the pantry was out of baby food and the students went to work. Nancy has additional food pantry plans for December. “They’ve done a food drive 3 or 4 times but they don’t see the other side of it. We’re hoping that a Saturday in December we can actually go and see the food, be able to put it away and see the whole process. It’s one more piece that we can add.”

“We all are proud of what the students do,” said John Costanzo, principal. “There are many parts of this school that people don’t have the opportunity to see.” One special outreach is called WINGS, Welcoming in Newcomers Giving Support. A group of current seventh-graders volunteer to help parents and students at the sixth-grade roundup find their way around the school. They help with registration and direct lost students on the first day of school. During the summer they donate two to three days and call every single incoming student to welcome them and answer any questions that they might have about becoming a student at Rio Norte. Resourceful Riverhawks also add student support to the many special projects that ASB coordinates. A new group, Rio Roars, is involved in collecting items to help the animal shelter.

Students who want to help others and a school staff that provides the opportunity for them to learn that they have the power to make the world a better place all contribute to Rio Norte’s excellence. And it all started with some Valentines and a caring heart. “It’s fun getting to go to the things and you can recruit your friends that aren’t in Resourceful Riverhawks. They think it’s fun and want to join,” commented Olivia. The future is in caring and capable hands.