Student council officers traveled to Tivoli last Thursday to deliver donated supplies collected following Hurricane Harvey. Officers visited students at the school and unloaded school supplies and clothing and toiletry items.

 “It was a chance for us to show that we care for students affected by the storms,” student council sponsor Melonie Menefee said. “We delivered enough supplies to outfit most of their 170 students for the year.”

 Following the hurricane, much of Tivoli was left without homes. The drive started because students from the student council as well as other organizations on campus wanted to come together and do something to help.

 “It was a real honor to be able to help out out the community,” senior Lilah Molina said. “It was shocking to see how much the hurricane had affected them.”

Austwell-Tivoli ISD was chosen as the recipient school because Principal Tracy Gleghorn, who used to be principal at the junior high and high school there, was small and remote enough that it would be off the radar of many larger relief efforts. The trip to deliver donations was the first time she had been back to Tivoli since she moved to Buffalo.

 “It was very emotional for me seeing people that I used to work with struggling just to have a normal day at school,” Gleghorn said. “They are people who I know and care about. I worked with them for 12 years.”

 Due to hurricane damage, Tivoli high school students were taking classes in small portable buildings.

 “There was quite a bit of structural damage to many of the houses we saw,” Menefee said. “Some houses and businesses were still without electricity. There was no gas to purchase anywhere in town.”

 The trip also provided a chance for the newly-elected officers to work together as a group.

 “It was really fun to go,” junior Josalyn Taylor said. “I wish we could do more to help. It was nice to bond with the other officers. It was a great way to kick off the year.”