Ginger Miller, mom of Wesley Miller, sophomore, and 2024 graduate Annabelle Miller, started working in the school store last year as a volunteer in the Marquette Parent Organization (MPO).
Every Monday, Ginger is the lead for the school store. She and the other parent volunteers ensure they have the right inventory and that funds are deposited properly.
“I wanted to help the school, and this is one of the best ways to see the students in school, in their natural habitat and with their friends,” Ginger said.
Ginger said the school store provides a good experience for the students, and not just because they can get food.
“It’s a microcosm of society when you have to come into the store and order from adults, know what you want and pay for it,” Ginger said.
Ginger has also volunteered with the softball team for her daughter and both the football and baseball teams for her son. She’s helped with Friday dinners and provides snacks for j.v. before and after games.
Ginger is one of many parents who volunteer at MHS during and after school hours at each grade level, the school store and events such as Taste of Marquette among others. This week is Parent/Family Involvement in Education Week.
Until Principal Dr. Tracey Waeckerle became the building principal, she hadn’t worked closely with the parent organization.
“The more parents we can get involved, the better off we are,” Dr. Wackerle said. “It’s a very collaborative team effort, and it’s been really cool to see how involved our parent volunteers are.”
To try and recruit more volunteers, the MPO has a social media page, and they gained access to Parent Square this year to help advertise meetings and events.
MPO meetings are normally held on every second Monday, every other month, so the next meeting should be Oct. 14. The meetings are at either 9 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. and typically last about an hour and 30 minutes.
“Any parents are welcome to attend,” Dr. Waeckerle said. “They’re open meetings”
Senior Nolan Zink’s mom, Laura Zink, has been volunteering in the MPO since the beginning of Nolan’s freshman year.
Some of the contributions Laura has made through the MPO have been working in the school store, being the treasurer for the Senior Class of 2025 and leading the Taste of Marquette Auction.
For this auction, the Junior and Senior Classes work to plan and gather donations from surrounding restaurants, and collect enough donations to make raffle baskets. The raffle is a silent auction, the prizes tend to be themed baskets and gift cards.
All the money made from the Taste of Marquette and the auction goes to the Senior Farewell, which is a party put on for seniors after graduation.
“The auction makes a lot of money that goes towards helping the school which is great,” Nolan said.
Nolan said his mom has been volunteering at every school he and his sister have attended since elementary school, doing all she can to get involved.
“It shows that she’s wanted our school experience to be as good as it can be, and it supports the community,” Nolan said.
