Greene County students recently completed the first-ever Teen Outreach Program.

Health II students raised money for the American Heart Association with a Valentine’s Day-themed fundraiser. They planned, marketed and sold candy, heart-shaped balloons and stuffed animals during their lunch hours and in between classes. Students raised $302.68. They also performed other community service activities, in which the students logged 500 hours. Senior Cassidy Carstens tells Raccoon Valley Radio her favorite part of the class.

“My favorite part is probably being out in the community and showing people that we’re out there, we’re not just at school doing math and reading, we’re seeing what’s going on outside of the school and helping in the community.”

TOP was made possible by a four-year grant through the Iowa Department of Public Health. The next set of classes will take place in the fall. For more information, contact organizer Peg Dohrer with New Opportunities at 712-792-9266 or email her at pdohrer@newopp.org.

A list of the organizations and businesses the helped support the program can be found below.

The Greene County Community Schools, HyVee, Printer’s Box, Shopko, Bunkers, Caseys, Teresa Lansman and New Opportunities, Pizza Ranch, KDLS radio, Jefferson United Methodist Church, Greene County News online, Dairy Queen,  ACCESS, Nicole Bennett Tuel, Bee and Herald, Chamber of Commerce, Jen Pullen, Cara Reedy, Heather Moody, Vicki Gustafson, Grand Junction Presbyterian Church, Juvenile Court Services, Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson Police Department, Greene County Board of Supervisors, History Boy Theater, Greene County Public Health, Presbyterian Youth Ministry, Fareway, Greene County Extension, Community Partnerships for Protecting Children, St. Bridget’s Catholic Church, Neese Inc., Midland Power, Jefferson Parks and Recreation, Trinity Lutheran, Jefferson Telecom, Hollie Roberts (on behalf of the Kiwanis, Elks and Greene County Medical Center).