CANFIELD — Junior and senior class officers at Canfield High School are joining forces again this year to raise funds, give back and end the school year with a memorable class project.

For the past 36 years, the senior classes at Canfield High School have hosted a fundraiser in the form of a craft show at the high school. The show brings in thousands of dollars that are used by the senior class to accomplish a class project.

“In the 2024-25 school year, the seniors purchased chairs and tables for the school lobby,” said senior class adviser Kate Antal. “The digital sign at the high school came from a class project using craft show proceeds.”

Besides the vendor fees, each senior homeroom designs a gift basket for a raffle at the event.

The army of students putting on the craft show has doubled over the past two years. Antal said the senior class officers are now working with the junior class officers. The partnership makes it easy to pass the torch.

“It is fulfilling,” said senior class president Shanze Bajwa, “and it makes passing the torch a great experience. I know that the next class craft show will continue to be great as well.”

She said of the 193 seniors in this year’s class, the majority will be helping out at the craft show, along with their parents.

“It is a lot of work, and it brings everyone together,” Bajwa said. “The whole community supports it too, and that means a lot.”

While the craft show raises a lot of funds, it also is a great place to give back, and the senior class already is working on it.

“I am passionate about giving back,” Antal said. “This year we are asking for donations of coloring books and crayons that will go to Akron Children’ s Hospital.”

The coloring book collection is being hosted by the CHS art department, where Antal is an art teacher. The collection already started at the school and will wrap up during the craft show Dec. 6. The following week, the donations will be delivered to the hospital in Boardman.

As for the next senior project, the class officers will get together once things settle down after the craft show. They will have a meeting to plan their project.

“There is talk about purchasing and installing an electronic bulletin board in the CHS lobby,” Antal said. “That will be up to the officers.”

She said whatever is decided, the seniors will go to work and leave their mark on the school. The junior class officers will take the knowledge they received and will begin planning the 37th annual craft show and a project of their own. The planning begins as soon as the students return from summer break.

Last week, the junior and senior class officers came together to make a series of Facebook commercials that will go live to promote the craft show and coloring book / crayon collection.