In recent years students at WHS have transformed their various interests into refined passion projects and full-fledged fundraisers. Most of these students have been inspired by a personal experience that has motivated them to start an organization or project that reflects their dedication to the cause. 

  Those who have chosen to create one of these fundraising passion projects at WHS include junior and co-founder of Three Clubs for Cancer, Matteo Buchbinder.

    “We know a lot of people personally who have suffered from cancer, including my grandfather, so I thought it would be a great cause to bring to my golf team,” Buchbinder said.

   Buchbinder created Three Clubs for Cancer his freshman year along with his older brother, and he has continued to spearhead it throughout his high school career. During the event, the golf team uses only three clubs to play 9 holes and donors choose a player to sponsor. By bridging his love of golf with a sentiment to create change, Buchbinder has been able to create an operational fundraiser.   

   “We’ve raised over $20,000 for cancer research in three years, and that’s just so far,” Buchbinder said. “I would say I’m very proud of our contribution to such a great cause.” 

   Senior Eva Odio, also founded a fundraiser because of a personal passion: in her case a love of science that has been enhanced by her longtime participation in the WHS science team. The team previously received funding to cover most of their costs, such as busses to meets and supplies, but post-pandemic, the funding procedures changed and that money was no longer available. Odio, wanting to foster an environment where the science team could thrive, decided to take matters into her own hands. 

    “We really needed funds for transportation and logistics to be able to compete in science competitions, and I just wasn’t ready to give those things up,” Odio said. “I knew I had to do something to change the circumstances I faced.” 

   Keeping to her words, Odio founded the now well-known Crumbl Cookie fundraiser during her sophomore year as an effort to replace the funds the science team lacked. Over the past few years, the fundraiser has proved to be a soaring success given its tremendous impact on Odio’s community. 

  “We definitely made a fair amount of money,” Odio said. “The funds actually ended up financing the team for the entire year.”  

   There are also those at WHS just beginning their high school careers who have already made tremendous contributions to the community through their initiatives. Freshman and founder of TeenExec, Natalya Lucas, exemplifies this type of commitment.

   “The organization I’m running is a non-profit that helps kids with managing and improving their executive function skills,” Lucas said. “So things like time management, planning projects, organization, and more.” 

    Lucas believes that building these crucial skills in 9 to 12 year-olds through the workshops and mentoring her organization offers is essential to establishing habits that will aid young adults in their future endeavors. Her motivation for this inspiring idea is her personal development of executive function skills.

   “When I was younger, I definitely struggled with my organizational skills a lot at first,” Lucas said. “But I think it was ultimately my mom who really instilled in me how to strengthen my abilities regarding executive function, and I quickly realized how much it actually helped me in school and just in my life.” 

   Lucas’s journey grappling with the difficulties of organizational skills led her to want to help others learn how to manage their executive function skills the same way she did.

   “That one thing that I started with, building foundations, was just so crucial to the rest of the steps I had to take to get where I am today,” Lucas said. “That’s where I started, and where I hope I can help other people start their journeys.” 

   Each of these initiatives serve as an example that a single idea fueled by a personal dedication can make an impact on the WHS community. As these young leaders continue to evolve their projects, one thing remains clear: the spirit of innovation and passion at WHS is alive and well.

   “I think that [student lead projects are] a really important and effective way to make change,” Odio said. “And to me, the biggest part of doing effective work is making sure it’s accessible for everyone, and accessible for a long time.”