Many students at CHS are involved in different clubs and extracurricular activities to boost their college transcript, but do they really have the heart to make a difference in others’ lives?

When given an opportunity to volunteer, junior Hannah Bush’s answer is always yes. Bush and junior Emily Kim started Churchill’s Heart Factory club with a mission to support the underprivileged and underappreciated. The club does whatever they can to give back to others and help those who don’t have the opportunities to do so. In addition to creating this club with Kim, Bush also placed as a finalist in the “Councilmember for a Day” competition held by Montgomery County councilmember Craig Rice.

“Hannah’s nature is to serve,” Hannah’s mother, Denise Bush, said. “She has always been selfless and always wants to be a part of a bigger community from family, to church, to school and to a community where there is no bounds.”

The idea of the Churchill Heart Factory club was inspired by a leadership seminar Bush and Kim  attended called Hugh O’Brian Youth, an organization dedicated to inspiring and developing the global community of youth and volunteers.

“We were inspired to start a club at Churchill that promotes the appreciation of the under appreciated, like the ill children staying at the Ronald McDonald House,” Kim said. “We both wanted to use our skills learned at the seminar to improve our community and take action.”

During club meetings, Bush and Kim strive to teach their club members about the valuable leadership skills they acquired from attending the seminar. Their club, consisting of around 32 members, recently completed a project where holiday countdown calendars were created for sick children at the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore, a charity that keeps families with sick children together and near the care and resources they need.

“I really like the message that the club promotes: being thankful for what we have while also giving to those who do not have the same opportunities as us,” junior Hannah Suh said. “We do it in a fun way, so overall being in this club is extremely heartwarming and I love what we do.”

The competition Bush participated in consisted of submitting a video or essay regarding problems that face the youth today. For Bush, this problem was mental health.

“I chose to focus on mental health as I believe so many people struggle with staying positive through high school, a time with an overwhelming amount of stress and pressure,” Bush said.

Bush was one of nine finalists for the competition among middle school and high school students from MCPS and was recognized at the Council’s Nov. 29 Youth Town Hall meeting.

According to an Oct. 11 Montgomery County Council article, Rice is always looking for creative ways to empower young people to become more involved in government. The competition to be a “Council member for a Day” was a fun and educational way to get young people excited about government and a way for local leaders to learn how to do a better job of reaching students.

Entering and participating in contests is a great way for students to get involved with the community and to be recognized by superiors.

“It was a great opportunity to share my beliefs with others and hear what everyone else had to say,” Bush said. “I also felt extremely grateful that our principal, Dr. Benz, was there to support me.”