Free State High School sophomores Megan Davis, left, and KyAnne Hall double-team a heavy box of books Jan. 27 at the high school. The Free State Social Awareness Club recently collected more than 17,000 books for children in Uganda.

Free State High School junior Sam Passig, a member of the Social Awareness Club, works to pack boxes of donated books for the Invisible Children program. The packing day was last month at the high school, 4700 Overland Drive.

When the Free State High School Social Awareness Club started collecting books for children in Uganda, members didn’t know for sure what the response would be.

“We thought we’d get a few hundred,” says Meaghan Travis, a senior.

Turns out they were wrong.

More than 17,000 books later, the Social Awareness Club’s members are continuing to prove what impact they can have in the community — and globally.

“That’s pretty much the group — to raise awareness locally and globally,” says Michelle Wilson, also a senior.

In its third year, the Social Awareness Club is spreading like wildfire. The club was formed by social studies teacher Andrew Nussbaum two years ago. Four students attended the first meeting.

This year, more than 180 students attend meetings regularly.

“It’s the cool thing to do here,” Wilson says.

The projects

The book drive was tied to the Invisible Children organization, which benefits Ugandan children.

Group members collected books during a trick-or-treat event, at Raise the Roof (the FSHS winter sports kickoff) and by soliciting local businesses.

Where have they stored them?

“Everywhere,” Wilson says. That includes members’ and sponsors’ homes, as well as random storage spaces in the school.

The book drive is just one of many beneficiaries of the Social Awareness Club, as the group has grown exponentially over the past three years.

Other projects include:

• A pen pal program with children in Topeka. The participants recently had a pizza party with their mentees.

• The H20 project, which raises awareness of the importance of clean water internationally. The program encourages participants to drink only water for two weeks, and to use the money that would have been spent on other drinks to help build wells in other countries.

This year, more than 800 people in the community participated to raise more than $4,000 for wells.

• A spring break trip planned for March with seven participants, where members will volunteer at a homeless shelter and do other volunteer work.

• Other volunteer work at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and Boys and Girls Clubs.

The future

At meetings, which occur most Wednesday evenings, members talk about what social justice needs exist.

“One thing we really like to talk about is what is going on in the world,” Wilson says.

“It’s whatever we think is needed or the most needed at that time,” says Hayley Francis, a sophomore.

In the group’s future? A trip to Kenya, as part of Comfort the Children International. And whatever else seems important at the time.

Nussbaum, the group’s founder, says he’s been proud of the club’s growth. Now, a team of four teachers advises the group.

“My idea about teaching is planting seeds and setting down roots,” he says.

He describes the growth this way: “I think there’s a willingness to do more, learn more and seek more. Social Awareness is a safe environment to make that happen.”

He has hopes the group will continue to grow, and to make more of an impact — both locally, and globally.

“I end our meetings with the idea of living with your eyes wide open,” he says. “If we can do that, we’re doing a pretty good thing.”