The Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy is currently collecting donations for personal care items that will benefit members of the United States Military. 

Donations will be collected from Monday, April 24 through Wednesday, April 26. Donation boxes are located in each grade level office, and donations also will be collected by members at lunch on Wednesday, April 26.

Major Terri Zuber, Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy facilitator, said a key factor in the program is students serving others.

“Their last project each year is called an impact project, and this year they decided they wanted to impact the lives of military members,” Zuber said. “Most specifically, a former Marquette student, Jackson Adler, who is a marine serving in California.”

Because May is Military Appreciation Month, the students of the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy decided they wanted to give back to military members and their families. Because of rising costs, many military families are having trouble affording basic personal care needs. 

“It’s very expensive to live in California, so the military members are struggling financially.” Zuber said. 

Zuber said students should donate because it’s for a great cause, and students can potentially win Chick-fil-A gift cards for doing a good deed.

“We have service members who go every day to fight for our freedoms, and this is just a small way we can support them,” Zuber said. “Whether they’re in the States or overseas.”

Junior Rihanna Li, student ambassador of the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy, helped organize the personal care drive. Li said the group wanted to do something big for their spring impact project.

“We decided that we want to help out the military trainees on their bases before they’re deported,” Li said. “Because, especially with inflation, it’s getting really hard to purchase basic needs.”

“We had a December project, and we baked cookies for the local officers who responded to our school after the events in November,” Li said. “The club is a service to our communities.”

Li said she is a part of the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy because it gives to others. 

“It’s honestly very personal to me because I have always wanted to serve others,” Li said. “It’s really a passion of mine, and I was really excited to jump on board with this.”

Aidan Zonies, junior, is also a part of the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy. Zonies said being a part of the club shows character through giving back to others. 

“To me, it’s about helping the community and being able to do something,” Zonies said. “In the leadership academy, you have this group that’s driven to make a change, and that helps out with making an impact.” 

The Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy has helped the community by running the stands at the victory village, helping with the Special Olympics and making cookies for the officers.