NHS Raises Hundreds for California Wildfire Recovery
- Oscar Amos
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
There’s no doubt that having a dirty car can often be the root of embarrassment. In fact, over 65% of Americans report being “completely embarrassed” to invite guests into their dirty cars. Well, on February 23, Parker School’s National Honor Society (NHS) took it upon itself to alleviate this embarrassment.
Planning began one Monday in January during a regularly scheduled meeting. The club established a date and began coordinating supplies. Led by President Jennifer Koranda (‘25) and me, Vice President Oscar Amos (‘26), the crew organized their first project of 2025. With help from Laynie Henderson (‘25), Gibson McIntosh (‘25), Dahlia Lanclos (‘25), Takumi Wetherell (‘26), Iolani Sanches (‘26), Caylee Fushikoshi (‘26), and Sarena Cook (‘27), a donation-based car wash to fundraise for California wildfire recovery efforts quickly found itself on the horizon. In the days preceding the car wash, Koranda (‘25) designed a poster to advertise the event to the student body and their parents and announced it at Family Meeting, while I emailed all students and staff on Wednesday. Koranda (‘25) explained that the list of relief funds was curated as “[She] researched initiatives that would be most beneficial toward California's recovery.”
On the day of the car wash, the NHS was up bright and early for a 9:30 AM arrival. With an abundance of buckets, car wash soap, sponges, and water, things were looking good for the club. The team began by waving signs at the parking lot’s entrance, accompanied by Henderson’s (‘25) impressive emcee skills. Upon the arrival of their first customer, which occurred around 20 minutes in, the students sprang into action, each taking on different jobs to maximize efficiency. Fushikoshi (‘26) outlined a few highlights, noting, “I liked hanging out with my peers, being enthusiastic while holding the car wash poster, and getting really excited when someone came to get their car washed.”
After three amusing but grueling hours, the group was only a few minutes away from their scheduled end when, suddenly, a line of five cars entered the parking lot. Undeterred, the students put the last of their energy into quickly and thoroughly washing the cars. In the end, the NHS raised over $700, which will be donated to three relief funds. Koranda (‘25) reflected, “I'm proud of all the hard work that the NHS put into the car wash. I’m glad we were able to raise so much money to donate to California wildfire recovery programs.”
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