By Tyler Dahlgren

Clare Willis is entering her senior year at Shelby-Rising City High School, where she golfs and participates in One-Act, band, choir, Student Council and National Honor Society.

Yes, Willis wears many hats, but there’s only one that makes her shake her head and laugh.

“I’m the mascot for Homecoming, like the actual person inside the husky suit,” she admits with a slight touch of dubiety. “It sounds wacky and kind of weird, being the mascot. And it is, but it’s also much fun and the younger kids in the district love it.”

Willis said that mascotting wouldn’t be in the cards, not in a million years, if it weren’t for her involvement in Student Council. With 28 members in grades 9-12, the organization is a strength at Shelby-Rising City and has a direct influence on the high school’s culture.

“I’ve been doing it for two years now,” Willis continued. “I had some free time, and was thinking about ways I could give back to my community. I joined, and I don’t regret it.”

That’s the exact environment StuCo adviser Becky Schueth envisions cultivating each school year. The kids bring that vision to life, time and time again.

“I want them to be involved members of the community when they’re adults,” said Schueth, who has been with the district for 11 years and has advised StuCo for the last six. “This is just a segue into that idea of giving back to the community. They’re really good at helping anybody who needs it and coming up with crazy and fun ideas for community service. Plus, it’s a good way to meet new people.”

Her students make an impact. They’re creative and they’re empowered. Their hearts are big and their smiles are infectious. Schueth puts trust in the group, and holds them accountable by requiring attendance at ALL meetings throughout the year.

“They’ve stepped up to that challenge, and they know that it’s an important part of the organization to give back,” she said. “It’s probably the most important part of the organization."

They didn’t take summer off, either. The group has been making visits to David Place, a retirement home 12 miles east down Highway 92 in David City, where they’ve played Bingo, train dominos (best game ever, the group exclaimed) and yard games with residents.

“That was a very rewarding experience, just being there with them in person, being able to learn about them and their lives,” said junior-to-be Kadence Calahan, who joined StuCo in the 6th-grade. “It was cool getting to push them back to their rooms and seeing what their day-to-day lives look like. We all had such a good time.”

Schueth said the Student Council has visited retirement homes in both Shelby and Rising City in years past. She floated the idea at a meeting and the wheel immediately started spinning. Senior Alison Albright has had her CNA since she turned 16 and works at David Place. 

They were in business. The tradition was living on.

“We didn’t tell the residents about the visit until the day it was happening,” Albright said. “We were like, ‘Hey, let’s go play some yard games or some Bingo with some high school kids.’ They instantly got excited and responded ‘Let’s go. What are we waiting for?’ They absolutely loved it and loved the students.”

Albright transferred to Shelby-Rising City last year and signed up for Student Council during the district’s “Back to School Night”. It happened fast, and she’s grateful for that spontaneity. 

“I’ve loved it ever since,” Albright said.

Like Calahan, Taya Pinneo has been in StuCo since middle school. She also plays sports and is involved in FBLA, NHS and, well, basically everything.

“I really enjoy the leadership part of it,” said Pinneo. “Through StuCo, I’ve learned what it means to be a leader and I really like that aspect.”

Willis and her partner struck it big and won Bingo, which sparked a moment that she’ll remember for a long time.

“We won, and she was so excited and adamant that I went up and picked out the prize, which was a Dr. Pepper,” Willis said. “She kept saying, ‘You pick out your prize, it’s your win.’ She was so sweet, and just seeing her so happy and enthusiastic, that was really fun. That aspect of community and getting to meet new people has been life changing.”

Being a member of the Student Council has a way of nudging students away from their comfort zones, Willis said. The experience teaches life skills that the students will be able to utilize forever.

“It gives you a willingness to take on a bigger role,” said Albright. “If there are open spots for volunteering, whether it’s at work, in the community or here in school, being on Student Council has really pushed me to take advantage of those opportunities and to get up in there and do it.”

Calahan nodded her head in agreement, and then took it a step further.

“It’s pushed me to be a better person in general,” she said, noting the three blood drives the organization organizes each year. “You’re learning and growing with other people and making new friends and interacting with everyone around you. It’s just a positive thing to be a part of.”

When the last domino had fallen, the students helped push their new friends back to their rooms. Albright, who worked until 10 p.m., said the residents talked of little else for the rest of the night.

“There was a lot of laughter, and a lot of stories,” she said. “We were getting them ready for bed, and they kept telling stories and talking about the kids that were here. ‘Oh, who was that girl? She was so nice. Oh, he looks like a really nice boy.’ They were so excited. They just loved it.”

While Schueth pushed one of the residents back to her room, the two got to talking. Pretty soon, they were lost in conversation and, eventually, lost in general.

“We were talking and laughing and we walked right past her hallway,” she laughed. “Then we had to circle back around, which allowed us to continue our conversation. It was just so much fun.”

So much fun, in fact, that there’s no way they aren’t coming back.

“We’re definitely going to plan a senior center trip this fall when school starts back up,” said Schueth. “And we’re going to win train dominos. It’s time. It’s time.”