By: Reporter Abbe Lane

The Orbit, a clothing closet project for homeless and low income students, has officially been completed at NHS.

As mentioned before, the Orbit is a high school community clothes closet that houses clothes and personal items for students in need. Students are advised to talk to their counselor, should they be in need of any of the supplies.

“The Orbit is a community closet for NHS students for necessary supplies to be comfortable and successful,” Mrs. Melanie Jackson, a math teacher, said.

Mrs. Shelley Aaholm came up with this idea two years ago after hearing that different schools in northeast Wisconsin were doing it. Aaholm thought it would be a good idea to have a closet like the others at NHS. Currently, there are 70 families identified as homeless in the N.J.S.D and 31 percent of NHS students are in the free or reduced lunch program.

Aaholm and Jackson also recruited Christine Christensen, a guidance counselor for students with last names E and K, to be apart of the project. “I got involved because of my work with homeless families in the district.  There has always been a need, and there has always been people in the district and the community who were willing to provide clothing and personal items for students in need,” Christensen said. Jackson started on the project one year ago while she was working on a project with her kids that helped homeless people. She readily agreed as soon as Aaholm had asked for her help.

The Orbit is a closet in Conant and students are to go talk to their counselor if they are in need of supplies, as stated before.

Aaholm, Jackson, and Christensen have several goals for the near and distant future of The Orbit. As of now, they are just needing it to be stocked. Since winter is coming up quickly, the Orbit is in need of coats, mittens, sweats, socks, blankets, age appropriate clothing and towels. Future goals are being able to provide a suitable amount of things for students in need at NHS and having a closet just like the Orbit in other schools in northeast Wisconsin. Jackson said that she would like there to be a closet in every school in northeast Wisconsin.

Mr. Jeff Zehren’s Freshman Seminar and LAUNCH team are eager to begin their collection drive to be able to put needed things into the Orbit. Watch and listen to find out when and where to help out the Orbit soon!