Yukon, OK – On Friday, more than 550 students from Southwest Covenant Schools gathered at Chisholm Trail Park for the annual Patriot Project, a day‑long community‑service effort that prepares the park for the holiday season and raises funds for school programs.
Students roll up their sleeves for a festive makeover
“I look forward to it every single year just to get out and do something fun on a Friday and serve back to the community,” said Kara and Addi, two Southwest Covenant students. Participants tackled a variety of tasks, from painting a weather‑worn storage bin to landscaping the shoreline.
“We are painting this storage bin because it was just looking a little rundown, rusted,” Kara and Addi explained. Another student, James, described the landscaping work: “We started off hauling rocks and putting them on the shoreline, and then we moved to mulch whenever we finished that.”
Patriot Project raises more than $220,000
Principal Clay Henderson highlighted the financial impact of the day. “We take a whole day off from school to come serve the city of Yukon, and this year we raised over $220,000,” he said. The majority of the money will be used for school resources, while a portion supports local charities.
Generation Why, an Oklahoma City nonprofit focused on youth mental health, received more than $20,000. “That’s just such a great amount of money going to Generation Why. I’ve heard what they’ve done. They do some great stuff. It’s just amazing,” James added.
Teaching service and stewardship
For the students, the day offers a chance to make the holidays brighter for their neighbors. “Just as you’re going through the Christmas lights, just have fun. We came here to work so you can have fun,” they said.
Henderson emphasized the broader lesson: “We want to give them the opportunities to serve not just in their homes and families but the city as a whole.” By linking service with faith‑based values, the school reinforces the importance of family, community and personal responsibility.
Looking ahead
The Patriot Project will continue each year, inviting new classes to participate and expanding its charitable reach. As Yukon prepares for the holiday season, the freshly painted bin, mulched shoreline and renewed sense of community spirit stand as a testament to the power of volunteerism rooted in faith and family.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
