ORANGE PARK – Ridgeview High’s National Honor Society will host a three-on-three basketball tournament to benefit Kids First of Florida, a community-based care agency providing child welfare and foster care services to residents of Clay County.

The event will be in the school’s gym on Friday, April 14th, at 4 p.m. Tickets are $5.

To enter, students can use the QR code posted in the Ridgeview gym. Advance registration is required. County students from neighboring schools are encouraged to join Ridgeview teams. Each team will have three-to-five players. The field will be limited to 16 teams.

“This is the Honor Society’s first three-on-three basketball fundraiser,” said National Honor Society Co-Adviser Carolyn Holt. “The students are leading the event.”

The NHS board has 93 current members. Honor Society Secretary Kloe Goolsby and President Jonathan Metelus spearheaded the project with Andrew Palma, another board member involved in the fundraiser.

The Society’s first major fundraiser for Kids First of Florida is the basketball tournament. The idea behind the tournament was based on March Madness.

“We just wanted to create a game or something to bring the school and community together to support a good cause in a fun way. So we decided on the three-on-three basketball tournament to get as many people as involved as possible to support this organization,” Metelus said.

“There will be a point and time limit. The point limit will be 21 points if the game doesn’t end within 50 minutes. The team with the winning lead wins the game.”

Prizes will be given to first-, second- and third-place winners. Honorable mentions will be given to teams with the most school spirit and sportsmanship.

Although there isn’t a current sales goal, the NHS held a Powder Puff Football game in August of 2022. Student Sponsors Kloe and Abby raised more than $1,000 for Clay Behavioral Health Organization in hopes of treating mental health and substance abuse in Clay County.

“We’re looking to create the same impact on our community this year,” Goolsby said.

Meletus agreed, noting the importance of recruiting new members to help with fundraising efforts. “The more people that join the National Honors Society, the more good we can do. We can do more good in our school and our community,” he said.

To learn more about the Ridgeview High National Honors Society, call Holt at phone (904) 336-8975, extension 68930 or by email at carolyn.holt@myoneclay.net.

While players will be pitted against each other, their drive for the game is unified. These athletes not only share a goal on the court but in their community as well.

Aimed at raising money for child abuse prevention, the fundraiser also seeks to gain community action and educate the public on the current child abuse epidemic among neglected and abused minorities.

During April, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, First Kids of Florida encourages all individuals to get involved in their community to give every child the safe, loving home they deserve.