To improve lives and bring the school community together, student council President Sophia Hennessy launched a blue jean drive to provide jeans to some of the estimated 2,900 homeless of San Antonio.

Along with partner organizations St. Joseph’s Honey Creek and Community Bible Church (CBC) Bulverde, student council plans to gather jeans and help distribute them at Church Under the Bridge on May 1 and May 8.

“They really need anything down at that homeless shelter,” Hennessey said. “(So) I offered to help. I had been wanting to do this kind of community service for a long time.”

In a letter asking students for help, Hennessey called for everyone to donate at least one pair of jeans.

“I’m not optimistic about that (goal) at all,” Hennessey said. “But I know that if I bring in ten pairs, then I make up for ten people.”

The student council term is almost up, but Hennessey said she has a few expectations for the future of the organization.

“If I’m president again, I’d like to do more community service type stuff,” Hennessey said. “Me and the other officers plan community events to bring the school together.”

Gathering volunteers for events can be tough for student council members.

“It’s so difficult to get anyone interested,” Hennessey said. “People always complain that they don’t like the school, but they don’t do anything about it. STUCO is trying to change that.”

However, council officers have been able to achieve great success in fundraising events in the past.

“I would say our most successful project was Homecoming,” Hennessey said. “We made like $17,000.”

All in all, Hennessey said she’s happy with her term as president so far, and confident in the future of the organization.

“I would like to have more humanitarian stuff because that’s what I really enjoy,”  Hennessey said, “(and) I hope the incoming juniors, sophomores and freshmen get active and involved with their school.”