On February 14, Last Wednesday, the Sophomore Grade Leaders (SGL) at Townsend Harris High School set out to bring the Valentine’s Day spirit to the school community through custom-made Candy Grams. Starting at a base price of four dollars, Harrisites were able to purchase a “Secret Cupid Gift Bag” and address it to the person of their choice. The customizable gift included a personal photo and note with optional add-ons such as candy, bracelets, and origami crafts.
In the past, Valentine’s Day Candy Grams were hosted by the Student Union; however, this year’s event was supervised by the SGL as part of their initiative to “make something where people could give back to their loved ones, friends, and families, and even faculties,” said Freshmen-Sophomore Class President Shaw Williams.
Executive-at-Large sophomore Jenna Abdelhamid spoke about how the funds gained from the Candy Gram event will be used towards future sophomore events. “We’re trying to make it our priority to raise as much money as possible to lower the costs per student for these types of trips and make sure that everyone actually has a chance to come regardless of the financial situation,” said Jenna.
Sophomore Grade Leader Fathima Mohamed Iqbal added that one of their main priorities was to make the event creative. “When we first came up with the idea to do something on Valentine’s Day we wanted to make sure that the Candy Grams were as customizable as possible so that people could really give their loved ones something special,” she said.
Jamie Baranoff, Coordinator of Student Activities, shared her thoughts on how the Sophomore Grade Leaders were able to share love towards all Harrisites. She said, “They wanted to make sure everyone in school felt a little bit of love. Our warm and inclusive community is something that makes Townsend Harris such a special place.”
Many Harrisites purchased the Candy Grams for their friends, family, and significant others, and expressed their thoughts on this event, appreciating the convenience of online orders and the message behind the gift.
Junior Jaileen Nadal said, “I bought the Candy Gram for my friend since we didn’t have much to do for Valentine’s Day this year. I know that she enjoyed my heartfelt note and the goodies that were inside.”
Freshman Ariella Casabar added that purchasing a Candy Gram made Valentine’s Day a lot more meaningful for her.“Buying Candy Grams was a way for me to express my love for friendship. I bought Candy Grams for my friends, and I can tell that they really appreciated it.”
Looking ahead to the future, the organizers of the event expressed their thoughts on upcoming improvements toward next year’s fundraiser. SU Executive-at-Large sophomore Elvis Chan, said, ”[Something] I believe we can improve [is] its organization [by] having a well-thought-out plan a week in advance; [we] had a plan, but due to unexpected circumstances, the material came in very late, so we had to rush the process of packing each order.”
Junior Chloe Chen said, “The decision to buy one stems from wanting to spread positivity and create a festive atmosphere, aligning with the spirit of Valentine’s Day.”
