Southwest Open School has won The Salvation Army 2011 Bell Ringing Challenge. For several years, The Salvation Army has presented a traveling trophy to the group or organization that put in the most Bell Ringing hours. In 2010 we presented a challenge to the Southwest Open School. We asked them to compete against the other organizations already participating in our bell ringing campaign. We did not have high hopes, as we were asking teenagers to give of their time! These students not only participated; they went above and beyond. This left us wondering how to challenge the SWOS students as they presented their own challenge with their We will show you attitude. Showing us that they are not just teenagers, but young adults showing pride in their school.
In 2011 The Salvation Army brought this challenge to the Cortez Middle School. This challenge had brothers Dilton Padilla (SWOS) and Dyllan Padilla (CMS) competing against each other. The students at CMS took the challenge with the same drive and determination and once again showed us that students can make a difference. Although CMS did not win, they put in a lot of hours and did come close to winning the trophy.
We would also like to acknowledge the students from Dolores that gave of their time and thank everyone who participated in our bell ringing campaign. Your time and efforts are greatly appreciated. We hope to see you again this year.
The Salvation Army