Over the weekend, several Sacred Hearts Academy students—along with the head of school—were able to experience the fast-paced environment of a radio station. They helped with the Hawaii Public Radio (HPR)’s Fall Pledge Drive, which aims to raise $936,000 in 10 days.

“My favorite part of volunteering was the anticipation of hearing the phones ring, even though it was scary at first,” junior Julia Oehlers said. “Volunteering at HPR made me realize how the radio is such an important part of many people’s lives.”

A pledge drive is when people call in to donate money toward a specific cause. Oftentimes, pledgers may also receive special prizes. These prize incentives consist of anything from gift cards to airline miles.

Because HPR is supported by member donations, the station depends on these pledge drives to continue broadcasting throughout the year.

The students and Head of School Betty White met at the Honolulu station on Saturday morning. They were briefed on their roles in the drive, including protocol when answering the phones and accepting donations.

“It was a blast to work with volunteers from Sacred Hearts,” said Casey Harlow, Associate Producer of Digital Content for HPR. “They brought a youthful enthusiasm to the fundraiser and definitely made the atmosphere more lively. After three days of raising money, the HPR staff sure needed an energetic pick-me-up which the volunteers from Sacred Hearts definitely brought.”

Despite the slow start, the room was soon alive with the constant ringing of the telephones and the steady hum of conversations between the volunteers and the callers. Volunteers were not only tasked with answering phones but also with informing callers of the special offers associated with different levels of donations.

“I grew up listening to the radio on a daily basis, since we lived almost two hours from school,” junior Catherine Palmer said. “Being given the opportunity to help out made me ecstatic.”

HPR was established in 1976 and has since become the island’s leading source for not only local news but for national and global news as well. Recently, HPR began broadcasting to all neighbor islands.

For more information on HPR, visit http://hawaiipublicradio.org/post/hpr-s-fall-2016-pledge-drive.