Dave Moore was instrumental in starting a care club at his high school,

Lenoir City High School in 1997. It’s purpose is to make sure no

teenager gets tagged as an outsider. Dave Moore believes that kids need

to know how to express genuine care toward each other; in his own words

“Everybody needs to know they are cared for.” Until everyone, including

the kid with the mohawk haircut and an earring in his eyebrow, knows they

are worthy of the same care as the valedictorian or the captain of the

football team, we’re going to have problems in our schools. Moore’s care

club hand delivers birthday cards to each student, calls to check on

those absent 3 days or more (as a caring gesture, not a truancy call),

and organizes community service projects. The club also matches new

students with others with similar interest, bakes cookies for the

teachers lounge, monitors a CARE help line and sponsors weekly activities

designed to break through the walls of cliques and socioeconomic

backgrounds.

– Gene Bedley