by Elizabeth Pfeifer (Posted on February 18, 2026 @ 3:50 p.m.)

Most sixth-grade students at Alamo Heights Junior School join either the Boys or Girls Service Club, but many view participation simply as a future application booster or a social activity. Administrators and past student participants at AHJS say the real value lies far beyond college applications and friendships. Instead, it rests in learning how to help others and serve your community.

The Girls Service Club is led by parent volunteer Megan Rangel. The club is for sixth-grade girls who want to help their community, but what else does it offer for students? For one, it gives girls learning opportunities and chances to serve their community.

Past service club member Lucy Williams said her favorite part of Girls Service Club was learning about veterans and how service animals help people in need. She later added, “It helped me understand why helping others was important.” She went on to explain the impact serving the community with her friends had on her and how she thought her friends made the experience more enjoyable and memorable.

Girls Service Club has been helping our community since the beginning. But what have they done recently that stood out? Recently, they have participated in the school’s holiday drive, helped with snack packs, and volunteered at the Woodridge Carnival.

Not everyone has time to join a service club. Two students who were not members, wishing to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, said they already had busy schedules and didn’t have enough time to commit to extra, time-consuming activities.

The Girls Service Club meets every one to two months. While meetings may not be entirely time-consuming, most activities take place outside of school, which may be challenging for some families.

Despite the effort commitment takes, Boys Club leader Ms. Gainey believes the experience is valuable for students and a great learning opportunity for them to start serving others. In her own words, “I think it’s important for the younger kids to get an introduction to serving others.”

Boys Service Club member Hays Willcox believes that participating in the club’s activities has had a positive impact on him and the boys around him. “I have seen other boys impacted by it,” he said. “I like the feeling that I’m helping people.” His experience in the service club reflects the goal of the clubs: helping students see the effects their actions have on other people, no matter how small.

Genevieve Willcox said, “While in the club, I learned how to serve other people.” She added that her friends made the experience more enjoyable and that the friendships she made along the way made it more rewarding.

Overall, the Girls and Boys Service Clubs at Alamo Heights Junior School are more than just volunteer hours or résumé builders. They help students build character and shape the people they are becoming. Whether students continue into other programs such as NJHS or FCA, they will always carry this experience with them.