Boardman teens spruce up play space

Stars, the moon and planets decorate the brightly colored walls.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Members of Boardman High School's National Honor Society turned a bare-walled basement into a colorful playroom for Beatitude House children.
"It wasn't kid-friendly at all," said Katy Quaintance, a child advocate at the Fifth Avenue facility for homeless women and their children. "This is much better. It's a lot more colorful."
Fuschia paint colors the walls, with stars, planets, the sun and an astronaut adorning the space-theme area.
"Our artist, Matt Liptak, picked" the space theme, said Carly Roberts, NHS' vice president of service. "It was his reign."
Liptak sketched the design, and other students painted it in.
"He came in and gave it the finishing touches," Roberts said.
Service is one of the four qualities sought in NHS members with scholarship, character and leadership completing the list.
Planning for the project began last October, Carly said. Members of the 47-member club, all seniors, have been coming to Beatitude House about twice per week for the last few months to complete the work.
They were shoring up the finishing touches Tuesday, cleaning toys, placing bookcases and scrubbing cupboards.
The children won't see the finished product until later this week when their mothers attend group sessions.
"I think they're going to jump up and down and be really excited," Quaintance said.
Other donations
Don Booth Carpet One donated the carpeting for the room, and each student brought in a toy to add to the playroom's stock.
As NHS members, they're required to do a total of 30 hours of service -- 10 community, 10 for school and 10 for family.
"Most of us do more than that," Roberts said. "That's the kind of people who are in NHS."
She initially contacted the Volunteer Services Agency to find a service project. They referred the club to Beatitude House.
The students' first project there was renovating a garage into a large clothes closet.
But in doing that work, they discovered the basement play area and wanted to pitch in there too, Roberts said.
Other service projects completed by the group since the March 2006 induction into the club include creating a greenhouse at West Boulevard Elementary and reading to elementary pupils.
They also served as "big brothers" or "big sisters" for West Boulevard pupils, said Marie Kane. NHS members were assigned a pupil and spent time with them, she said.
Helping family
For family service projects, students had to choose something at their own homes that wouldn't just benefit them, said Ivy Poma, another club member.
She renovated the pool house at her family home, painting and cleaning it and installing towel racks.
Kathy Zimmerman, housing director at Beatitude House, said the program serves 12 women and their children, ranging from infant to high school age.
She's pleased with the room transformation the Boardman students achieved through their work.
"The Boardman NHS is just a great group of kids," Zimmerman said. "They're very community-spirited and minded. I think it's great."