Forest Hills — It was not the phone call Eastern High senior Maria Christopoulos wanted to get.
Every year, the three Forest Hills high schools participate in Orange Week, during which each school hosts an event to benefit Kids’ Food Basket. At Eastern High, the signature event is a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
The person scheduled to run the tournament called Maria to say he had a 103-degree fever and could not attend. At the time, Maria was already overseeing other Orange Week activities, including carnival games, raffle ticket sales and T-shirt sales.
“We had a lot going on that night, a lot of moving parts, but I figured out the bracket system for the basketball, and it worked,” she said, adding with a laugh, “(The teams) get offended if you mess it up.”
Maria said she was proud the event ran smoothly and raised more than $1,000 for the local nonprofit that aims to regularly provide nutritious sack meals to every West Michigan child in need, and to address local food equity challenges.
The experience also boosted her confidence.
“It showed me I could be a leader,” said the senior. “I’ve been on National Honor Society and I’ve been a leader in Student Council, but this showed me I can totally do (other) things.”
In late 2025, Maria was recognized for her leadership and philanthropy when she received the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award from the West Michigan Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
When considering nominees for the award, Maria was an easy choice, said April Butler, communications specialist for Kids’ Food Basket.
“Maria’s kind, service-oriented nature exemplifies the true spirit of philanthropy and volunteerism,” Butler said. “She generously shares her time and talent at Kids’ Food Basket; but beyond that, she inspires her peers to get involved.
“Maria demonstrates that any person, at any age, can make a difference, proving that giving is not just an action, but a way of life.”
It’s All About Giving Back
Maria’s involvement with Kids’ Food Basket began through her church, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox. As members volunteered for food-packing shifts, Maria often accompanied her family to lend a hand.
“The community is just so important, so it’s nice to give back to the community that has truly given (my family) everything and every opportunity. It’s nice to repay that. … That keeps me going, even when we can’t find volunteers for Saturday morning shifts.”
With the importance of giving back ingrained by her family, Maria later joined Kids’ Food Basket’s Youth Action Council, a group of West Michigan students who help raise awareness and lead service projects.
From there, her involvement with Kids’ Food Basket expanded. Along with leading packing shifts six times a month, Maria has become a youth ambassador, attending various events such as museum open houses, served as a host for the organization’s annual Gobble Wobble 5K, and attended a farm-to-table dinner program.
She also joined Eastern High School’s Kids’ Food Basket Club, for which she now serves as president.
“When I was a freshman there were about 30 kids, and now there are 130,” Maria said. “Out of a high school of about 800 students, that’s about one-eighth of the population, and it’s the highest-attended club at Eastern.”
The club meets weekly, decorates lunch sacks that are to be filled by volunteers and hosts a variety of fundraising events, including the basketball tournament.
‘The same way practice and exercise releases endorphins, so does being a good citizen.’
— Eastern High senior Maria Christopoulos
Every Action Matters
Maria said her involvement with Kids’ Food Basket has extended to other organizations: the school’s National Honor Society, where she serves as vice president; Student Council, where she is secretary; and the KFB Club regularly support one another’s activities and collaborate on projects.
And as captain of Eastern’s rowing team, Maria also plans team bonding activities, which have included packing shifts at Kids’ Food Basket.
“It’s a really fun team bonding, right there at 8 in the morning, rolling burritos after practice, because you know, once you have rowed for about two hours there is nothing you want to do more,” she said with a laugh. “But they do enjoy it, and it is fun because you feel good. The same way practice and exercise releases endorphins, so does being a good citizen.”
She said she has seen it come full circle, as students attend and volunteer at events not because they need service hours, but because they enjoy participating in activities such as the basketball tournament, Quiz Bowl or other fun challenges for students to join.
“Some people think that they can’t do anything because they’re too young,” she said. “I think that the biggest thing for people to realize is that everyone can be helpful. Everyone can benefit the community, and should be trying to better our community.”
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