Backpacks Filled with Love

Students holding "Adopt a Backpack" signs with backpacks

Dec 18 2025

This fall, students in the National Honor Society created an Adopt a Backpack service project to support students in the Dominican Republic.

As a result, they sent 70 backpacks (and uniforms!) to children in Arroyo Ancho that CCHS students had visited over the summer on a service trip with the BLUE Missions Group.

Students, clubs, sports teams, and friend groups signed up to bring in donated items and to fill backpacks tailored to specific students, and Hannah Harrinton '26 coordinated a bake sale during lunch to raise money ($600!) to ship the backpacks.

Students raised over $600 dollars in Walmart gift cards to go towards unforms (shirts and pants).

Everyone in the National Honor Society participated along with faculty and students.

SCOPE (Students Can Open People's Eyes) wrote letters for each backpack, and the Art Club hosted an event to make cards.

Photo Album: Adopt a Backpack

Click here to view album and download photos on Raider SmugMug.

About the Project

"This summer, a group of our students visited a community in the Dominican Republic and discovered that their local school lacks basic educational resources," shares Hannah Harrington '26.

"We enjoyed getting to know the students through fun activities. Working with school administrators there, we developed a plan to help, and we asked students to fill a backpack with school supplies for a specific student and their academic needs."

Group standing against BLUE Missions wall

Thank you to everyone who supported this important initiative and have helped to make a Marist difference in the world!

About the National Honor Society

The purpose of the NHS is to give students with strong academics, character, leadership, and service a chance to help the school and the greater community. Sophomores and Juniors who are academically eligible at the end of the school year are invited to apply at the beginning of the next academic year (induction in the Fall). Academically eligible students must have completed their Marist Service and be able to demonstrate leadership and character in the school and in the community. NHS members provide tutoring in the Academic Success Center and service to CCHS and the neighboring communities.