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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Thursday night lightning sparks 10 new fires across region ... Bear Creek Greenway to link to Highway 62 ... More thunderstorms expected ... Thursday night lightning sparks 10 new fires across region ... Bear Creek Greenway to link to Highway 62 ... More thunderstorms expected ... ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL Students put their hearts into AIDS event Comment By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 3, 2014 at 12:01 AM By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 3, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News Anne Kim was a typical busy, ambitious teenager for most of her high school life. She played violin, hung out with friends and aspired to attend medical school, become a surgeon and enjoy a life of affluence. Then she visited Costa Rica for an endangered wildlife conservation organization and everything changed. Suddenly, the things she thought were important — financial success and career achievement, to name a few — began to lose their luster, replaced by a new, humanistic set of ideals. Kim’s experience working alongside indigenous farmers in the rain forest only lasted about two weeks, but she says it was life-changing. When she arrived back in Ashland, Kim put aside her violin, changed her career goals and turned her attention away from her bank account and toward causes that she felt passionate about. “I have so much joy, genuine joy serving other people and serving the community,” said Kim, a senior at Ashland High School. “It used to be, my education was for me. College was for myself so I could get a good job and make a lot of money and do whatever I want. But now my intentions for my education are so I can serve people, so I can share the education that I have with other people … and help people who are unable to help themselves.” Kim, the co-president of Ashland High’s Global Citizens Corps Club, has been putting that philosophy to work recently by helping to organize a schoolwide, wear-red HIV/AIDS awareness event held Monday, which was World AIDS Day. Students were encouraged to wear red T-shirts to school, and during a break between classes they assembled in the AHS quad and formed a giant red ribbon, which is the global symbol for solidarity for those who are HIV positive and living with AIDS. Kim and three of her fellow GCCC members met on the quad 30 minutes before the rest of the student body Monday and used chalk to draw out the ribbon’s outline so that students would know where to stand. They also chalked out in huge letters next to the ribbon an alarming fact that they hoped would stick with the students long after the ribbon was formed and pictures taken. It read, simply, in all caps: “OVER 36,000,000 PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM AIDS.” The students arrived shortly thereafter and the event went off without a hitch, as Kim and company directed students to the appropriate spots to form the giant, human ribbon. “It’s important to me because I want to spread awareness about AIDS,” said AHS junior Sarah Lasoff, another GCCC member who helped organize Monday’s event. “Just wearing red, people will say, ‘Why are you wearing red?’ and I’ll say I want to spread awareness about AIDS, not just as a disease for people to know about … but also as an epidemic in the world. Global Citizen Corps is trying to promote how it affects other people in third-world countries, where they’re not really getting the help that they could be getting, and how we can solve the problem with the resources we have here in the U.S.” The large turnout Monday — about 200 students showed up on the quad, ready to take their place on the chalk — didn’t happen by accident. The club promoted the event through the school’s morning announcements, social media and an aggressive telephone campaign that Kim, flashing a mischievous smile, described as borderline obnoxious. But the end result validated the effort. “More people showed up than I was expecting,” said AHS senior and GCCC member Gabe Lehrburger, who also help in organizing the event. “It’s good to see people supporting our school and supporting AIDS in general.” Reach reporter Joe Zavala at 541-821-0829 or [email protected].     By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 3, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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