Students and staff at Conley Elementary School recently came together for a meaningful spring service project, collecting more than 2,000 items to support Huntley Animal House Shelter. The effort reflects the school’s ongoing commitment to community service and student leadership.

Each year, Conley organizes both a fall and spring service project, with students and staff working together to select a local cause to support. While the school rotates organizations to meet a variety of community needs, Animal House Shelter has remained a favorite among families. The last drive benefiting the shelter took place during the 2022–2023 school year, when the school encouraged students to “fill the boat until it can’t float” using a sailboat display in the front entrance.

This year, Conley’s 5th grade Student Ambassadors played a central role in organizing and promoting the drive. Working alongside a staff committee, the students developed communication strategies, tracked donations, and helped generate support and excitement across the school. Each morning, ambassadors collected items from classrooms, tallied contributions, and organized supplies in preparation for delivery. This year, there were so many donations that Conley filled a Huntley 158 school bus that helped transport the items to the shelter! 

Items donated included high-need items, such as paper towels, bleach, pet bedding, office supplies, and pet food. The school promoted the shelter’s most-needed items through family communications and shared links to online wish lists, making it easy for families to participate.

To add some fun and an incentive, the three-week drive included a friendly competition among classrooms. Weekly updates kept students informed of donation totals, and the class that contributed the most items will be rewarded with a special visit from shelter dogs.

The initiative was supported by a dedicated team of staff members, including Mrs. Surjan and Tier 1 service project committee members Mrs. Fusco, Mrs. Gogny, and Mrs. Castro, who helped coordinate the logistics.

“I love that our students had a say in how they wanted to help our community,” said fifth grade teacher Edie Gogny. “They were an integral part of our drive, as they recorded announcements, chose the reward for the class with the most donations, and did all of the collecting from classrooms each morning. I think it's great that the students had a voice and hand in the entire process! Kudos to the kids!”

Through teamwork, creativity, and compassion, Conley students not only made a significant impact for local animals in need, but also demonstrated the power of service learning in action.

Fifth grader Will Gomolski donated 112 items to the drive. When asked what made the drive so successful, he said “People love dogs and Animal House Shelter is really kind and they deserve it."

"So many things got donated and all the animals got so much love from every single donation,” said Cooper Chess, fifth grader. “This was out of the good of people's hearts and it was an effort to make others happy.”