Senior year during a pandemic has been nothing “normal”. So many fun events cancelled, quarantines completed, and too many unknowns to count. However, in the midst of this all, senior Anna Bisonet made a promise to herself to make the most of it and take every opportunity she is given this year. She is excited to be selected as one of 12 seniors to compete in Jenison’s Senior Survivor challenge.
Senior Survivor begins April 25th and goes for 4 days/3 nights. Seniors spend the whole time at school and give up their car keys and electronics. Students will be sleeping in individual tents, wearing masks, and all activities will maintain social distancing. The goal of Senior Survivor is to raise the most money for HAND2HAND, a local nonprofit in Jenison that provides students in need with backpacks full of food for the weekends to West Michigan schools. Anna has personally worked with HAND2HAND many times packing the backpacks of food and hearing the stories of how the organization has touched so many families right here in our community so she is especially excited they were the nonprofit benefiting from this event this year.
 Volunteers at a Hand2Hand packing event |
Just like the show “Survivor”, seniors will compete in various competitions to win immunity from being sent home. Along with competing in competitions seniors must come up with ways to raise money. They can do this by selling items and/or asking for donations. The students with the lowest amount of money each night will be sent home until one Survivor is left and named the Ultimate Senior Survivor. Anna will be selling individually wrapped cookies handmade by her Grandma, orange Crush pop, and stickers to the student body at the high school.
Jenison also partners seniors with an elementary school and specific grade. Anna is honored to be teaming with the 3rd graders at Bauerwood where her JPS education started! “It’s been fun communicating with them and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish working together. They are eager to compete against the other grades in their school for an ice cream party going to the grade collecting the most for HAND2HAND”, says Anna. Anna is confident that the third graders will help her be named the Ultimate Senior Survivor!
When asked why she wanted to participate in this challenge, Anna said, “I feel this opportunity will be a great chance to bond with some of my classmates and teachers one more time before we graduate. Through this process I have already learned so much about fundraising and how to communicate better with others. I hope to learn more about how fundraising works and ways and ideas to raise money for nonprofits”. In the fall, Anna will be attending GVSU Honors college.
| Want to get involved? |
- This Sunday, April 25th, from 1-3pm seniors will be hosting a car wash at the Jenison High school tennis fields located between the Junior High and High school, off of Bauer road. The cost is $3. All proceeds will go to HAND2HAND. We hope to see you there!
- If you would like to help support HAND2HAND and Anna’s quest to become the Ultimate Seniors Survivor, please visit her GOFUNDME page.
Thank you so much in advance for all your support! #TeamOrangeCrushers
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