By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
A simple tree stands in the library at the Hun School of Princeton, bedecked with pairs of gloves, scarves and hats instead of lights, ornaments and tinsel. This tree, visible to all, reminds students and staff of the community services projects underway at the school.
One project will benefit The Village Charter School of Trenton, which has 363 students in kindergarten through grade 12, with books and winter wear. The students have also adopted two special-needs families in Trenton and a middle-school girl has been collecting “pennies for peace” to help students in Afghanistan.
All service project ideas are student driven. “It gives them ownership and it’s much more successful for that reason,” said Lynn McNulty, one of three community service coordinators at Hun. “Our pillars are trust, respect and community. Service should be a passion. We cast a wide net for service so kids can find something they’re passionate about.”This passion led 16-year-old James Arnold, a junior at Hun who is involved in the school’s community service club, to step up the community service challenge for his fellow students this holiday season. The challenge is to provide each student of The Village Charter School of Trenton with a book, new gloves, scarf and hat, and a stuffed animal for the younger children. Hun students usually do a glove, scarf and hat drive.
”I’ve always been involved (with the Village Charter School). A few years ago I did a community build there and I went through my bookshelves a couple years ago and gave my own books there,” James said. “They appreciated it a lot so I thought I’d go back to that school.”
The community service club has driven projects such as a food drive at Thanksgiving, penny wars to raise funds to purchase turkeys for HomeFront, the Lawrence-based agency that supports the homeless in Mercer County, and club members volunteer at local agencies.
James, a multi-sport athlete, joined in the club “to grow up a little more and help people. “You win a game on the field, but to help others you come together as a team; same tools and teamwork is involved,” he said.
The drive kicked off when Hun students returned from Thanksgiving break and will run until Christmas break, about three weeks. Drop off points are indicated by a tree with a large box underneath. Any extra books collected will be donated to the school’s library.
The drive has been promoted in the student and parent newsletters and on Hun TV, the school’s television station.
The students generosity doesn’t stop there. The residents at Carter, the girls dorm, which houses 60 students, is working to raise funds to purchase presents for a a 16-year-old non-verbal autistic girl and her family. The family’s wish list includes clothes, CDs, a boom box and in iPod.
Hun School resident students have been supporting the family for several years. The families are selected by Enable, a Trenton-based organization that helps developmentally disabled individuals live full and satisfying lives.
The girls have held bake sales since returning from Thanksgiving break to raise funds for the presents.
Stephanie Mason, an 18-year-old post graduate in her first year at Hun, helped bake many items for the bake sale.
”I love baking and I love the cause,” said Stephanie, who is not in the community service club. “We took on DeAnna’s family and we wanted to give them everything they wanted for the holiday season.”
Everyone in the school gets involved, with the girls lacrosse team helping to frost items for the bake sale, to a board member donating a $500 ShopRite gift card for the family.
”It’s being able to understand that there are all types of people living in Princeton, it’s not just a college town, there are people in need of our help,” said Alyssa Risoldi, a 17-year-old senior who has been involved with the club since freshman year. “You don’t get to see everyone you get to help, but when do see the people and see the smiles on their faces, it’s rewarding.”
Community service hours are required at Hun and requirements range from 10 to 20 hours, depending upon grade.
Since the girls dorm was supporting one family, the community service club’s executive board took an another family, a single mother with a teenage girl and two brothers. The board is supporting this family on its own, without any help from the school.
”Usually the community service club takes the family, but the girls dorm took them, so we felt like we weren’t doing anything this year,” Alyssa said.
The community service club, with more than 100 members, also volunteered at Enable’s holiday party, hosting a hot chocolate bar, crafts and helping spread holiday cheer, said Aly Walsh, 17-year-old senior, who joined at the suggestion of a teacher.
”It’s rewarding just being there, especially during the holiday season and make it more of a party atmosphere,” she said. “I think community service is important because it’s vey rewarding and you are able to help someone and you benefit from that.”
Both girls gave about 35 to 40 hours of service last year, well over the school’s 15-hour requirement, in addition to their sports, clubs and academic demands.
Aly also helps with Project Freedom for disabled adults in Lawrenceville; there is also one in her hometown of Robbinsville.
”I think everyone is very committed to our community service club, and we end up benefiting the community,” Aly said. “It’s not that many hours.”
Outside of school, Alyssa has volunteered to dance at nursing homes around the holidays, worked at her church carnival and collected videos for children’s hospitals.
Even the youngest pupils at Hun are learning they can make a difference.
Madison LeBeau-Maltese, a 13-year-old eighth grader, is working with her 99 fellow middle schoolers to raise funds for schools in Afghanistan. She hopes to raise $100.
”The salary for a teacher for one day is $6, so that would keep a teacher for a long time, if we raise $600, that would be a salary for a teacher for a whole year,” she said.
Only pennies are collected because “someone doesn’t have to give a lot to make a difference and everyone can donate and it’s an easy thing to do,” she said.
The Pennies for Peace organization raises money for education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and is recounted in the book “Three Cups of Tea,” by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, which was the Hun summer reading assignment.
The book is about a man who went to Pakistan and saw the conditions there and brought his experiences back and shared them with others. The idea for “pennies for peace,” which would help fund education, was started in a school in Wisconsin where Mr. Mortenson’s mother was principal.
”I thought it was moving that people would go and help other schools and other countries,” said Madison. “If you go online, you can see one penny equals one pencil, two pennies equals one eraser; if you raise a lot of money, it can change other peoples lives.”
The penny collection will run all year long and reminders are announced every morning, and the jar is on display in the geography/history classroom.
”Madison has a strong voice, and its great to see her using it in this way,” said Jeff Snow, head of the middle school. “(The book) was to add something to improve their social conscienceness. I read the book when it came out and really liked the underlying theme of how easy it is to help others.”
