While what transpired at The Shed in downtown Sallisaw may have ostensibly lent itself to a Hallmark movie — “The Homecoming Queens and the Homeless” — the lunchtime civic engagement activity that attracted 22 Sequoyah County high school students was actually a service- above-self opportunity for the county’s burgeoning Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) program.

As part of Ameri-Corps, VISTA is intended to help communities combat poverty. For those who recall the Peace Corps program from the early 1960s that trained and sent volunteers to developing countries to help with international development, VISTA is thought of as the Peace Corps on American soil. VISTA encourages people to serve in their community and do things in the region where they live.

Retired Muldrow superintendent and VISTA volunteer Clifta Fugett says VISTA’s mission is to alleviate poverty through education, and create sustainable change.

So when the opportunity to serve their community was presented, high school students from Central, Muldrow, Roland, Sallisaw and Vian stepped up to spend their day off from schoolwork to volunteer at the non-profit, faithbased Soup N Soulz ministry at The Shed.

Not only did the volunteer experience help the almost two dozen souls to whom lunch was served Monday, but counted toward the volunteer hours that are increasingly important when students submit college or technical school acceptance applications. Those volunteer hours figure prominently into an Individual Career & Academic Plan (ICAP), which serves as a roadmap that guides students through the coursework and activities for achieving personal career goals, which often include leadership opportunities.

The students dished up and served a well-balanced meal to those in need, then bussed tables and swept floors afterwards in preparation for the next day’s ministry. In addition, donations were unboxed, organized and displayed in The Shed’s clothing closet.

Retired Sallisaw school principal and VISTA volunteer Debbie Phillips said the high school boys were purposely assigned to serve the meals because the activity was most likely out of their comfort zone. Meanwhile, the high school girls swarmed the clothing donations to prepare them for use by The Shed clientele.

And for those who see homelessness as an inconsequential issue in eastern Oklahoma, Phillips says there are more than 70 students in Sallisaw schools who, while they may technically have a roof over their heads, actually qualify as homeless.

While the contributions by all the students were important to Monday’s success, it was pointed out that basketball homecoming queens Casey Brackett of Sallisaw and Hadlie Woods of Central were among those who had basketball practice Monday morning before volunteering at The Shed.

Students who volunteered Monday were:

• From Central — Waylon Campbell, Haley Cheek and Woods

• From Muldrow — Noa Ballard, Jessie Cuellar, Abbie Mitchell, Raegan Newbern, Taelor Newbern and Keylee Thompson

• From Roland — Cristy Dye and James Underwood

• From Sallisaw — Yordi Alcantara, Brackett, Janessa Cook, Kennan Dyer, Colin Kremer, Cesar Morales, Benjamin Williams, Holden Williams

• From Vian — Brooke Byers, Eva Lee and Maya Silos VISTA expects to coordinate similar volunteering opportunities in subsequent months, especially on federal holidays when students don’t have class.