This week, Huntley High School students may have noticed the brightly colored, festively decorated boxes scattered in multiple classrooms around the school. The open boxes covered in wrapping paper mark Huntley’s first year participating in the Teens for Jeans program.

The national program, which is run annually by Aéropostale, is centered on the collection of new and gently-used jeans to donate to those in need, mainly homeless teens.

Junior Brenna Lacey, who works at Aéropostale, arranged for the collection to occur at Huntley High.

“[Donating] is a really easy thing to do, and it can have a great impact,” said Lacey. “It can mean so much more for someone else.”

Lacey spoke with Dean of Students Chris Duncan about bringing the program to HHS, and then asked Community Service Club supervisor Jessica Miller to help her organize it. The program is being run by Community Service Club, and Miller helped to get multiple students to volunteer their time making collection boxes.

“We’re really hoping it will turn out well, and every year we plan on improving new things,” said Lacey, who plans on continuing the program at the school every year, as Aéropostale usually runs the program in the winter.

Donation boxes can be found in every third hour classroom, with the exception of the gyms. All sizes of jeans, including children’s sizes, are appreciated. Once all of the jeans are collected, Community Service Club will take them to Aéropostale, and they will then be distributed to various homeless shelters.

Many students receive new clothes during the holiday break, and Lacey hoped that holding the fundraiser after break would allow many students to give up the jeans that they have grown out of or do not wear very often, as long as they are gently used and contain no large tears or rips. Students can donate jeans at school until next Friday and at Aéropostale stores until Feb. 10.

“Even if you don’t donate to this fundraiser, donate your clothes; don’t just throw them away,” said Lacey. “You can make a huge impact on someone’s life.”

For more information, check out the Teens for Jeans website at www.dosomething.org/teensforjeans .