Introducing a new project that benefits the Santa Clarita Valley, SCVi Charter School has launched the “Inspiration Generation” as a way for students to get involved in the community, as well as give back to their neighborhood.

The Inspiration Generation group is a new extracurricular club at SCVi, but it instills a project that is necessary for all SCVi students.

“It is an extracurricular, but the project is built into learning,” said Lisa Latimer, lower school director at SCVi. “All students are required to work on projects that tie into the community one way or another, and this is our newest one.”

The club’s first project took place Wednesday, Dec. 22, when SCVi students helped “spread cheer to shoppers.”

They set up a station in front of Ross in Valencia to offer residents umbrella service to and from their cars, hand out candy canes and cards with inspirational quotes.

Shoppers were a bit hesitant to the service these students were providing at first, but quickly warmed up to it, according to Latimer.

Some shoppers were so thankful for the students’ help that they offered to give students tips or donations, but they could not be accepted.

“The point of the project is to help when needed and to go out to the community when it’s not expected,” said Latimer. “It’s not a fundraiser; they just want to spread inspiration to others.”

As the new year approaches, more community outreach plans are currently in the making for the Inspiration Generation .

“We’re planning on doing projects like this two to three times a month,” said Latimer. “One idea is that we may begin collecting towels and blankets to donate to the animal shelter since it’s cold out now, but we have other ideas currently in development.”

Students from Inspiration Generation will be outside the Valencia Ross location again from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22.