Dear Editor,

As I have taken some time to reflect on the past year, I felt compelled to write to inform you of the great deeds of the Clarkston Optimist Club.
As the principal of Renaissance High School, I work with some of the most disenfranchised students in the community and for the most part, they face challenges both inside and outside of school.
Due to the caring heart and love from the Clarkston Optimists, the students here at Renaissance High School’s lives are made a bit better.
I would like to share just two of the many ways this happens:
First is the Optimist Elves project.
Each year around Christmastime, an Optimist Elf contacts us and asks what students might need during the holiday season and winter months. The Optimist Elf then gathers his fellow Optimist Elves, and they proceed to purchase and deliver the much-needed items. The items include blankets, hats, gloves, a variety of toiletry items, gift cards, and more. We then organize and distribute the items making the season and winter better for our students.
The look on the students’ faces as they receive the items is priceless.
Second is more in the academic field.
The Clarkston Optimist Club has provided funding for Renaissance High School that allows us to give students some fantastic experiences. One example is that they provided funding for cameras for our Yearbook class. This has provided immediate learning opportunities for students and will provide yearbooks for students to enjoy and reminisce over for years to come.
Another such example is that they have partnered with the district Curriculum Department and the CTE Department to provide equipment for us to be able to offer a production class. This has allowed students to become more interested in careers in that field and has given them more cooperative learning experiences.
While this course is new to us, it has started off strong and I’m excited to see where it goes.
In closing, I cannot thank the Clarkston Optimist Club enough for providing support in both academic areas and in social emotional areas.

Sincerely,
Gary Bigger
Principal, Renaissance High School