By Jacob Williams
On a damp, cold morning before school starts, Sweets and Salvations members group up around 8:10 a.m. to decide who goes upstairs or downstairs. Everyone meets in Mr. Kurt Griffis’s room to start passing out treats to the teachers.
Sweets and Salvations is a newer club sponsored by Mr. Griffis. He used to teach industrial technology at Delta Middle School but moved up to the high school to teach construction and engineering.
When Mr. Griffis worked at the middle school, he wanted to make the school day better and started “Good Friday.” He gave out Little Debbie Honey Buns to the middle school staff once a month on Friday mornings.
“[My goal] is to be a joyful servant when you do those things,” Mr. Griffis said. “I think that mentality transcends across an organization… If you have joyful givers in the building, that transcends down to the students and it just makes it a place that people would like to be.”
When working at the middle school he could pass out the honey buns by himself, but after transitioning to the high school, a new obstacle arose. The high school is larger, wider and has more teachers and staff.
To help continue what he started at middle school, he needed help from some students. That’s where Sweets and Salvations started.
Mr. Griffis recruited some kids to go around passing out food and noticed that some students go up and walk around the school praying for classrooms. They decided to combine the prayer group with the food delivery group.There are around 13 students who partake in Sweets and Salvations now.
Hudson Ewing is a sophomore and enjoys starting Friday on the right foot.
“I enjoy giving teachers candy and food and seeing the smiles on their faces knowing that they’re appreciated by their students,” Ewing said.
His day begins at 7:40 a.m. when a fellow friend takes him to the high school to prepare for Sweets and Salvation.
Another member, Jordan Bunch, wants the Delta teachers to start their day well. Jordan and other members of Sweets and Salvations go around handing out treats and afterward pray for the classrooms.
“I enjoy that it just feels like we’re doing God’s work for our school and helping glorify His name by helping people at our school feel safer as they go about their day,” Bunch said.
She believes when praying for teachers and their rooms that it helps them throughout the day.
“I think that it gives them more confidence as they go about their day and that they start off with a sweet treat and they also know that they have God on their side while they are going about their day and that we have blessed their classroom to have healthy minds and to just enjoy learning,” Bunch said.
When adding the students to help pass out the treats, Mr. Griffis remembers how it feels as if he still walks around passing out honey buns.
Although he relies on students to go around, he appreciates their help getting a good start.
“It’s wonderful, it would not be as sustainable, and it gives them the opportunity to lead and to serve others in their school community,” Griffis said.
Chemistry teacher Mr. Terry Summers, who also sponsors Fellowship of Christian Athletes, has a positive attitude toward Sweets and Salvations.
“It’s a very appreciated gesture because I could always use a blessing and good will,” Summers said.
