It’s one thing to show up for a school assignment. It’s another to volunteer your time and energy to quietly serve your town—because you’ve seen the need up close, and you want to help.

That’s exactly what Alyssa Aubuschon and Karlie Cox, juniors at Mount Olive High School, did when they chose to support the Mount Olive Care Center—a local food and resource hub for community members in need. As part of a school-wide community service initiative, students selected projects that connected them with organizations across town. Alyssa and Karlie chose the Care Center without hesitation.

“It’s a place that gives back to the community,” Alyssa explained. “They organize food drives, distribute bags of food for families, and try to make sure no one goes without.”

Their role that day was to help organize the shelves and assist in preparing the space for donations and deliveries. But for Karlie, it wasn’t just a one-day task. She already volunteers at the Care Center’s Kids Cafe during the summer, helping put together weekly food bags for children.

“It’s just a good place,” Karlie said. “You can tell they care.”

For Alyssa, this kind of community engagement is personal. As Miss Mount Olive, she leads a food drive each year as part of her pageant service platform—one of many ways she’s poured herself into the role. And it’s not a role she just stumbled into.

“I was Little Miss and Junior Miss before this,” she said. “I’m the first triple-crowned Miss Mount Olive.” The position includes public appearances, community service, and representing the town with warmth and pride. “I just love giving back,” she added. “This town means a lot to me.”

That love for Mount Olive was a theme both girls returned to again and again.

“It’s close-knit,” Alyssa said. “Everyone knows everyone.”

“It’s like one big family,” Karlie added. “We may not be a big town, but we look out for each other. That’s something special.”

Beyond their service, both girls are deeply involved in student life. Alyssa plays basketball, softball, volleyball, and cheer—while still making time to ride dirt bikes, hunt, and spend time with her family. Her plans after high school include pediatric occupational therapy, though she’s weighing the demands of college and what it might mean for her future family life.

Karlie is equally active: cheer, softball, volleyball, and plans to join golf next year. She also hunts—bow and shotgun—and has been tagging deer with her dad since she was three. But what makes Karlie especially unique is her creative voice. She’s a student journalist, writing interview features for the town’s monthly newspaper and handling photography for school sports.

“I like it,” she said. “I think I’m good at it. I use Adobe InDesign, do the layout, write the stories. It’s fun.”

When asked if she’s considered studying writing or media after high school, she paused—then smiled. “Yeah, I think I will.”

These two students may not yet know exactly where their paths will lead, but they’re walking those paths with purpose. They show up. They give back. They pay attention to the world around them.

And in doing so, they remind the rest of us that leadership doesn’t always look like standing at the front of a room.

Sometimes it looks like organizing a shelf of food.

Sometimes it sounds like a well-written interview in a local paper.
Sometimes, it’s just knowing when to say, “I’ll help.”