CHOCOWINITY — Unity Christian Academy is launching a Junior/Senior Beta Club and a Student Government Association (SGA) this school year.

The SGA has been in the works for about a year now, thanks to sponsorship from teacher Amy Bennett and administrative assistant Dawn Lewis, but the organization didn’t officially get off the ground until this year.

Sophie Davis, 16, treasurer of SGA, said the main idea behind the student group is community service, as well as fundraising efforts for projects at the school, including a new playground.

She said it has been an adjustment getting SGA off the ground, but also moving into a leadership role within the club.

“It was just figuring out what the club actually meant and how to be responsible about the positions you’re in in the club,” Davis said.

“That was pretty difficult and we had to give speeches,” added Walt Riley, 18, president of both SGA and Beta Club. “We’re all friends around here, so it’s not as pressured as it would be in other schools.”

All of the members in SGA are participating in the launch of the Beta Club, as well, Riley said.

This club also focuses on community service, but students must be making good grades to be in the club, he said.

“The Beta Club is just sort of starting now, so I haven’t really done much with it,” Riley said. “Everybody is trying to figure out what it is.”

Davis is not an officer in Beta Club, but she is a member.

“(Beta Club and SGA) kind of run together,” she said. “They both try to do stuff for the community.”

Although Riley is graduating this year, he said he wants to give both clubs a good foundation to continue growing, and that includes setting a good example.

“We actually have a larger number of younger people, as opposed to older, so they do look toward us a lot,” he said.

“The younger people, I feel like, kind of look up to you,” Davis agreed.

Part of building that foundation for growth came with the opportunity for SGA members to attend the re:ACT leadership conference hosted by the Association of Christian Schools International in Washington, D.C., in November. Participants learned about the realities of world suffering and poverty and ways to help.

Davis said SGA members want to do more outside of the school in years to come and potentially hold a food drive. More recently, students will also help to serve pancakes and sausage at a fundraiser on Saturday night.

The idea of growth extends to the future of Beta Club, as well.

“Each different group is going to try to achieve goals higher than the group before them,” Davis said.

Unity Christian Academy’s pancake and sausage fundraising dinner will be Saturday, Jan. 30 from 5-7 p.m. at First Church of Christ, 520 E. 10^th St., Washington.