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Students spiff up areas of Campbell
By Jeanne Starmack
CAMPBELL
Not a blade of loose, dry grass was safe.
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Karah Roby, 16, left, and Mary Vanjura, 15, Campbell students involved in Bright Futures at Westminster College, clean up outside Neighborhood Ministries on Jackson Street. The girls were participating in community-service projects Monday with 34 other Bright Futures students.
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Dante Dutch, 17, helps in Monday’s cleanup near Neighborhood Ministries in Campbell.
Outside the offices of Neighborhood Ministries on Jackson Street on Monday, a team of high school students was raking, sweeping and tidying up the yard.
Inside, another team worked to straighten and sort through the faith-based community- assistance organization’s food and clothing banks.
And up on 12th Street, two more teams worked to pick up litter.
They would be meeting back at Neighborhood Ministries in the afternoon, when they were going to Roosevelt Park for more litter detail.
The community-service projects were part of Westminster College’s Campbell Bright Futures Program, which pairs the college with students in grades 9 through 12 who show promise, said program director and Westminster professor Patrick Krantz.
The program, one of four pairings of colleges with high-school students, is funded by the Marion G. Resch Foundation. Resch was a Youngstown resident who left funds “to better the youth of the Mahoning Valley after she died,” said program counselor Sarah Pritchard.
Students spend 10 days during the summer, starting last Wednesday this year, at Westminster for a “college experience,” Pritchard said.
They work on academic and creative projects, she said.
“These are really some great kids,” said Krantz, adding that the college tries to keep them in the program for four years.
Outside Neighborhood Ministries, Sydney Jones, 14, raked grass as she reflected on her first year in the program. She’ll be in ninth grade in the fall.
“It’s really fun — a great opportunity,” said Sydney.
“It’s good to put on a r sum , and we’re helping the community,” she said.
This year’s program theme, said Silina Rivera, 16, who’s spending her second year in Bright Futures, is “Discovery of Self.”
“We’re learning how to express ourselves in different ways and learning who we are,” said Sydney.
Silina said she’s worked on her acting skills at Westminster — the program includes a focus on theater arts.
Samantha Arrowsmith, 17, a four-year Bright Futures veteran, said she’s gained confidence and creativity.
“It’s getting out of your comfort zone,” said Sydney.