by: Evi Fromm

The Supportive Peers program at BHS has evolved and grown since its creation in 2021. In the beginning, there were only about 23 lead peers, and now there are over 100 high school students that dedicate time every day to make a difference for kids across the district.

The club´s creator and staff advisor, Mrs. Rivero, went to the Bellbrook Lions Club over the summer asking for financial support. Yearly the club spends about $220 per pair of students for support. In response, the Lions gifted the BHS Supportive Peers $10,000.

Rivero explained that when she found out just how much they would be giving her program, she was overwhelmed, and even more so when she was told this would be a yearly installment.

“In my opinion, a community should be measured not on how it treats its most affluent members but on what it does for its most vulnerable population,” Rivero said. “With their donation and commitment, The Lions Club is setting an extremely positive example for the members of our community.”

With this money, the program plans to support its current group and expand its reach and someday have feeder groups that are stationed at other buildings within the district.

In the upcoming months, the group is hosting a social event on October 21 at Lucas Brothers Farm and a Christmas Extravaganza festival on December 9.