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Teens doing good: Raleigh high school students work to raise $200,000 for local nonprofit

For a group of students at Enloe High School, it's been a busy couple of months.

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By
Angela Lewis
, Enloe High School student body president
RALEIGH, N.C.Editor's note: Angela Lewis is helping to lead a student-led effort at Enloe High School to raise $200,000 for a local nonprofit. For full disclosure, Go Ask Mom editor Sarah Lindenfeld Hall's daughter is among the many other students involved in the project.
For a group of students at Enloe High School, it’s been a busy couple of months. Here, Enloe Student Council members have been working hard to raise money for a worthy local nonprofit through our annual Enloe Charity Ball, a school dance where the primary aim is to support our community.
Our goal is a big one. In 15 years, Enloe’s student-led movement has raised more than $1 million to support groups that are giving back to Raleigh. This year’s Charity Ball is Saturday, Dec. 7, and we hope to raise as much as $200,000 for our chosen nonprofit, Southeast Raleigh Promise, or SERP.

Why did we choose Southeast Raleigh Promise? SERP launched to fill the need for support of impoverished communities in southeast Raleigh, which is home to many Enloe students and families.

Formed in 2015, SERP was founded on the five pillars of education, affordable housing, health and wellness, economic opportunity, and leadership development. By focusing on these five key areas, they aim to end the cycle of intergenerational poverty experienced by the families in Southeast Raleigh and to build a system that allows for all people to thrive. SERP specifically supports the six poorest census tracts in the Rock Quarry Road corridor, but their impact can be felt by the entire Raleigh community.

Enormous impact

In their young life as a nonprofit, they have already made an enormous impact on the southeast Raleigh community.

SERP partnered with the YMCA of the Triangle and Wake County Public School System to build Southeast Raleigh Elementary School, which is in a joint facility with the brand new Southeast Raleigh YMCA. This school was built because SERP saw the need in this community for a strong and reliable education from an early age. They believe that by supporting and nurturing the youth in our community, we are creating a better and brighter future.

SERP does not brush over the little details, and when the school was being designed they strategically added elements that would uplift the students. The school has swimming lessons as a part of their physical education classes, a kitchen to teach the students about proper nutrition, and a garden where students can learn to grow fresh produce. One of the most impactful programs is Club ROAR, an after-school tutoring and enrichment program.

More to do

SERP’s work is far from over; in fact, it is just beginning.

They are currently building mixed-income housing units on the same site as the school, and by next summer, families will be able to move in and have their children attend Southeast Raleigh Elementary School.

They are also planning on building businesses on the Beacon site (where the school, YMCA, and housing are located), including a coffee shop, a grocery store and a collaborative office space. They have their eyes on the future of the southeast Raleigh community, which is a key reason why Enloe Charity Ball choose SERP as their beneficiary for their 15th annual ball.

More than 54% of kids in this part of southeast Raleigh live at or below the poverty line, and many Enloe students live in SERP’s area of impact. SERP is helping to uplift Enloe students and their families. As student leaders, partnering with an organization so focused on the uplifting of youth in our own community is a perfect fit. We hope to present them with a big check with the final fundraising total on Saturday.

If you would like to support Enloe Charity Ball and SERP, please go to enloecharityball.org to find out more information about both organizations and how to donate.
Angela Lewis is a senior and student body president at Enloe High School in Raleigh.

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