To celebrate the Thanksgiving season, State High’s chapter of the National Honor Society created hand-shaped turkey cards honoring the efforts of teachers. The tradition, which began with the establishment of SCAHS NHS in 2016, has become an initiative valued by both teachers and NHS members.
Devyani Wadhia, a senior in NHS, described the project. “The hand turkeys are pretty simple to make. You basically just trace and cut out your hand and then you make some paper feathers and maybe a hat, and then write a thank you message,” Wadhia said.
Turkey cards thanked teachers for their dedication, identifying qualities that make each teacher an addition to the school community. Each member was required to make three turkeys but many created more. Collectively, around 400 turkeys were created–at least one for every teacher.
NHS advisor Jen Rand detailed the impact on teachers. “Teachers really like to hear from kids. I think that a personal thank you from a student is one of the most meaningful things that a teacher can receive. And being acknowledged is really delightful, that’s all,” Rand said.
Junior NHS member Julia Bigger noted how the project aims to give recognition to teachers. “I think it would be really good because a lot of times, teachers don’t always get the appreciation that they deserve,” Bigger said. “For this turkey drive, we made sure that every teacher got one. And that’s important because sometimes some teachers get a lot of gratitude or thank you notes, while others don’t get it at all. So I think it will help a lot of teachers.”
The project has evolved since its inception due to its individual nature. Students have used their creative liberty to make turkeys with a variety of materials, using recycled items or images related to the teacher’s subject.
“Over the years, students have gotten far more elaborate in terms of the turkeys they’ve made. We’ve actually had kids 3D print a turkey. Oh my gosh- last year some people did map turkeys that were maps. They used found objects on the turkeys. So they’ve gotten really, really phenomenal,” Rand said.
Wadhia explained how the turkey cards relate to the NHS pillars of scholarship, service, leadership and character. “It aligns with the pillars of NHS because it provides NHS members the opportunity to be involved in a service project for teachers in the State High community,” Wadhia said. “I think it just shows a lot of appreciation to your teachers, especially when you’ve had them in prior years, and just brings joy to them.”
Looking ahead, NHS plans to continue adhering to its values through more initiatives, the next major one being in December. “The next one that’s coming up is going to be baking cookies for support staff. So while turkeys are for teachers, the cookies go to the cafeteria workers, the custodians, the security guards, paraprofessionals who work in the school, all of that,” Rand said.
NHS is also continuing its long-term projects of the Peer Tutoring Center and the Lion’s Closet, along with a new member-proposed initiative that will be voted on in the coming months.
