SHS students travel all over the world to catch a break from stress, school, and reality. Senior Makayla Stover also took a trip this summer, but for a very different reason.

Stover is president of the SHS chapter of Unified for Uganda, which strives to make a difference in the lives of Ugandan children.

Stover traveled through the U4U chapter here but corresponded with the overall organization through Moeller High School. Nine students from Cincinnati attended, as well as one from the University of Iowa.

Traveling for two weeks allowed students to see what children in Uganda do every day, including the places they go.

“We shadowed the kids at school and home,” Stover said.

Attendees tend to call such endeavors reverse mission trips, as students learn there and come home to continue work.

SHS has the biggest chapter of U4U. Sponsorship and mentorship has been increasing.

Sponsoring a child involved with U4U gives contributors peace of mind knowing that all monetary donations go directly to the children.

Paying $300 per year assures a child has access to education, a meal at school, a uniform, and emergency medical care. This can make a world of difference in a child’s life.

Students sponsored are of all ages and even attend different schools.

Stover found that being able to travel to Uganda and see the different way of life was eye opening.

“I got to meet lots of different kids with different living situations,” Stover said.

Everyone who went on the trip are seniors this year, and most of them were presidents of their respective chapters.

Seniors who went had to apply, interview, and show their leadership roles.

“[U4U is a really cool thing to get involved in,” Stover said.

There are meetings every month, so anyone interested can make sure to stay up to date on their social media.