Alejandro Gonzalez
Harold T. Branch Academy
In a world in which good deeds often go unnoticed in favor of negative or more headline worthy actions or events, Harold T. Branch Academy has upheld an expectation that its students will learn the value of giving back to the community. Aside from balancing both high school and college classes and personal responsibilities, students also participate in school sponsored volunteer work that benefits various organizations and residents of the city. While our students always aim to shine academically, it’s what they do outside of school and for the community that makes the students of Branch Academy even brighter.
Melanie Butler, a senior at HTB, is a great example of our students working to make a positive impact in Corpus Christi. On Wednesday and Sunday evenings, a place called The Station Church partners with other churches around the city to provide a warm meal for the city’s homeless. Melanie has been volunteering since her freshman year of high school when her youth group went once and she felt it was something she needed to be doing. Although circumstances and responsibilities have changed in her life, she has always continued to go and volunteer washing dishes every Sunday and Wednesday that she is available.
When asked why she feels so strongly about volunteering for The Station Church, she replied, “For me, The Station is just a great place to go to and do something for someone else. I see a need there and I am meeting it by just going and washing a few dishes.”
She also noted that aside from volunteering, she just genuinely enjoys being in an atmosphere of giving and assisting. Recently, Melanie learned she was accepted into Texas State University in San Marcos and hopes to find a place like The Station Church to volunteer at around the university.
Melanie is just one example of the many caring students who walk our halls everyday with the goal in mind of not only helping themselves, but those around them in any way they can.
