The hallway inside Unity High School was filled recently with electric guitar riffs on holiday music as a dozen or so students shuffled at an increasing pace along both sides of 56 feet of folding tables.
Students and a handful of community volunteers spent a couple hours stuffing 2,400 bags with candy and promotional items from area businesses. The bags, courtesy of the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, will be passed out by middle and high school Interact Club students to those who line the streets for the Dec. 1 Christmas parade.
The gesture of holiday workshop-ery marks the first year Unity High has been sending a student representative to monthly meetings of the Chamber of Commerce.
Teacher Sue Sweet said the plan is to send a different student every month so those who want to can represent the school. The first month, she said, senior Deven Dykman raised his hand right away.
“I’ve always liked to know what’s going on in the community,” said Deven, who has lived in Lowell since he was 2. The part-time cook at Big Boiler Brewing downtown said he also doesn’t mind getting to know area business owners.
“For Unity as a program, this is a great opportunity for us to spread the positive about what our students have to offer, and for the Chamber to get student input,” Sweet said. “It also gives students the chance to network, and to practice speaking to adults in the community outside school.”
