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Kaitlin Bloom

The Stillwater Hippogriffs take their charity very seriously, but it's not all serious. Members of the group laugh as they watch the trailer for the new Harry Potter film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. "We're a fun club and a lot of people should join," says junior Rebecca Franke.

For many teenagers, finding time for public service and charities that interest them can be a challenge, but what if there was a way to combine students interest and service? The Stillwater Hippogriffs are attempting to do just that.

The Stillwater Hippogriffs are a chapter of the much larger Harry Potter Alliance. Their goal is to combine the love of the Harry Potter series with public service to produce change in the world. The Stillwater chapter is new, but already they have a lot of potential to make a big difference. It was started by three juniors: Rebecca Franke, Jennah Slayton and Sarah Stephens.

The Harry Potter alliance is a non-profit organization founded in 2005; their goal is to “turn fans into heroes”. They use the popularity and positive themes in the Harry Potter novels to make the world a better place. In 10 years, they have gained millions of followers world-wide, and raised near a million dollars for a variety of charities. The alliance is broken down into local chapters, and the main emphasis is on equality, equal rights and literacy.

“They use fan activism to promote positive social change, or just general positive change in the world,” Franke explained.

The Stillwater chapter is still new, only having had about three meetings now, but already they have many goals for the future. First they plan to organize a trip to Feed my Starving Children. They’re also hoping to set up an account with Kiva, an organization that allows the public to donate money to people worldwide who have asked for loans to start their own small businesses. Finally, they plan on getting involved with Accio Books. Accio Books is a book drive put on by the Harry Potter Alliance, which donates books to people who can’t afford them.

“We want to raise tons and tons of money for different charities, and make a difference in the world,” Slayton said.

Franke, Slayton and Stephens had already heard about the Harry Potter Alliance, but it wasn’t until this year they decided to start their own chapter. All three are in their junior year, and have been long time fans of the Harry Potter series. The girls are good friends, and after Stephens suggested starting a Stillwater chapter, they agreed to do it together. With the goal of changing the world put in place, the Stillwater Hippogriffs were born.

“[We chose the Hippogriffs] because we’re the Stillwater Ponies, and we wanted something Harry Potter themed and Hippogriffs are kind of like ponies,” Stephens explained.

The Hippogriffs meet Friday’s after school in the English flex room. During the meetings they discuss future plans, new ideas, and of course Harry Potter. Everything is run entirely through the presidents who keep things on track and well organized. There are a lot of events coming up for the Hippogriffs, and many exciting opportunities. Everyone seems excited for the rest of the year ahead of them, which promises to be both busy and a lot of fun.

“I’m excited, and everyone else also seems to be liking the club and it feels really inclusive. It’s not just focused on Harry Potter, its more about relating public service and change to a great series and bringing a little magic to our everyday muggle live,” said junior Matt Dietrich, a member of the club.

The Hippogriffs are still looking for new members. If you’re interested they invite you to come to a meeting, talk to any of the presidents, or learn more online and on twitter. This can be a great opportunity to  earn service hours, impress colleges, or just do some good for the world.

“We’re hoping to create positive change throughout the school, and maybe even have a larger impact. We hope if you’re interested you’ll come to a meeting,” Franke said.