Student of the week: Marcey Cook

For many high-schoolers, school may be all about academics, all about social life or a healthy mix of both.

Marcey Cook, a senior at Virginia Episcopal School, said her life revolves around a third ingredient — service.

“It’s been like the most rewarding experience that I think I’ll ever have,” she said.

Marcey’s project of choice, Operation Christmas Child, seeks to fill shoeboxes with necessities to distribute to less-fortunate children, possibly the only Christmas presents they’ll receive.

Last year, Marcey, 17, conducted the project with her youth group at Peakland Baptist Church.

“I figured I’d get like a few people doing it … my goal was like 25 boxes, but I ended up getting 50,” she said.

The success of that drive led her to conduct another this year, at VES.

This year she said she set a higher goal — 75 boxes, and surpassed it by 29.

“I feel like I got so much support, and everybody really backed me up,” she said.

“It’s a lot of fun for me because this year’s been really stressful … it’s been like a way for me to get away.”

This being her senior year, Marcey said a lot of her attention was focused on prospective colleges, and what career path she wants to take.

She said she’s decided on elementary education.

“I always played school growing up,” she said, adding “I love the feeling that I can give back to someone else.”

She said her motivation mostly comes from her desire to contribute all she can to children, especially those that haven’t been as fortunate as she has.

“It just hurts me … to think that some kids don’t have the opportunities that I had, and that my parents gave me, growing up.”

Amy McLeod, the school’s community service director, said Marcey’s independence is a huge asset.

“All you have to tell that child is ‘Go Marcey, go,’ and she gets it done,” McLeod said. “She’s the most independent worker I’ve ever seen in my life.”

McLeod said Marcey was the school’s first recipient of the Bell Service Award, named in honor of Dr. John Bell, the cardiovascular surgeon who was killed last year when a vehicle struck his bicycle.

“And that was for her work last year,” McLeod said. “And she more than doubled the number of boxes that she got last year this year. So I don’t know what we’ll do for her this year.”

VES Headmaster Phillip Hadley said he and the school appreciate everything Marcey has accomplished.

“We focus on academics, athletics, arts and service,” he said.

“Marcey does well in those areas, and her particular passion is for service, so she’s brought a lot to our community.”

Marcey said that Operation Christmas Child is unlike some other charities, because you can actually see exactly what you’re donating.

“When you give $30 or something, you don’t really know where it goes,” she said, “but when you pack up a shoebox, you know that nobody’s going to take advantage of you.”

As far as future plans for the same project?

“I hope to take it to college with me,” she said. “I have so much fun with it.”