Grand Junction High School Agents of Change seniors getting ready to graduate

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Four years ago, Grand Junction High School began a program called “Agents of Change,” which is geared toward helping students get the tools and a sense of direction they need to help make a difference in the world. Now, the first group of seniors who participated in the program is getting ready to graduate.

As freshmen, the students start by picking a project of their choice.

“Their freshman year they spend researching issues in the community and the world,” said Jodee Cronk, Service Learning Advisory Coordinator. “And they choose a main focus area and they use that to develop a sustainable capstone project to improve the community based around that problem.”

One student, Ella Hall, wanted to raise money to build a sensory pathway at Independence Academy for students who have sensory disabilities.

“I love this program, we have amazing leaders to help us and everyone is willing to help each other out,” said Hall. “People are able to make a change in their communities. You’re not alone in wanting to help people.”

Other students chose to create a club of some kind to help raise awareness for things that they’re passionate about. One student, Erica Bryan focused her project and club, the GJHS Planeteer’s Club on helping the environment.

“We do river cleanups, we do campus cleanups and stuff,” said Bryan. “And we do fundraise for some big organizations as well, like World Wildlife Fund, the National Park Service, stuff like that.”

Other students wanted to form a club to help students have an easier time fitting in and making friends.

“We started the GJHS Connections Club,” says Chayton Moffitt. “What our club is all about it creating a safe and friendly environment for kids right now, especially during lunch.”

“Coming in as a freshman I was sort of lonely, I didn’t have friends,” said Asher Goldberg. “So I was just hoping to come up with a way to help lonely students especially if they were shy, make friends better.”

The club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays during for now. The boys hope to expand it to other school events.

Each of these students said that they joined the program because they wanted to find a different way to serve the world around them.

“I think that our students are living examples that the next generation is amazing and they’re going to do amazing things,” said Coady Shawcroft, Service Learning Advisory Coordinator. “Our whole community is going to be great for it.”

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