By Vera Wei

Beta Club has long remained one of the biggest student-led service organizations on CA’s campus. This year, recruitment for volunteers began early at the orientation before the beginning of school. Freshmen and their parents were given a glimpse of Beta’s role in the Upper School and the local community. Beta currently hosts 185 members who are always eager to lend a helping hand. Although members must complete eighteen hours of service by the end of the school year, many Beta enthusiasts exceed that standard to a great extent, spreading positive energy to the CA community and beyond! Cary Academy students have lent their helping hands in a multitude of events, including tutoring ESL students at Reedy Creek Elementary, hosting the annual Blood Drive, helping at the Holiday Shoppe, creating holiday cards for the Glenaire Retirement Community, interacting with kids at the Marbles Museum in Raleigh and gleaning yams at the Society of St. Andrew in Durham. With the support of our service coordinator, Ms. Cotter, Beta even took part in hosting the inaugural Service Fair, welcoming 27 service organizations and projects to share their missions and experiences with Cary Academy. Because many volunteers have found their experience in Beta immeasurably rewarding, the Beta officers and Ms. Cotter also implemented a grade representative system, to offer an opportunity for a member in each grade to become more involved with the club’s leadership. All in all, Beta continues to grow, foster student interest in service and put big smiles on faces throughout the community.