43
Boardman High students help out at Second Harvest Service and support
By SHAIYLA B. HAKEEM
YOUNGSTOWN
Said the night wind to the Boardman fam
Do you see what I see?
Sifting through the food hand in hand
Do you see what I see?
Boardman High School students in Emerging Leaders volunteered their time Saturday to help Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley salvage nonperishables. The students worked from 9 a.m. to noon inspecting, piece-by-piece, donated food items. They were looking to ensure the food was safe for consumption, while reinforcing damaged boxes and packaging with tape. Second Harvest Food Bank’s Paige Miller, volunteer coordinator, said help from the community is always needed and welcome, especially for sorting and repacking.
“They are looking to see what is still safe to eat,” explained Miller, “They are literally looking at every single item and keeping what we can, discarding what we can’t.”
In October, Emerging Leaders donated $307 to the food bank, which provided about 1,500 meals, Miller said. She was delighted to see so many young adults willing to volunteer their time and services.
“We love when our young friends come, because they bring so much energy and enthusiasm for the cause,” she said, “It’s a joy to work with them. They are very supportive of us and faithful to what we do.”
In 2016, the food bank reported it was able to distribute 10.5 million pounds of food throughout the tri-county area, 3 million pounds of which were fresh vegetables and fruit. According to Miller, the young Spartans sorted and packed more than 5,400 pounds of food items Saturday.
This was the first year that Boardman High School junior GiGi DeLullo participated in Emerging Leaders. She joined because she liked how the group was making a difference in the local community. She says the group allows students to meet and make new friends with those they may not have initially hung out with; they are able to develop a bond in support of a cause much larger than themselves.
“As a whole, instead of focusing on ourselves, we get to focus on others,” DeLullo said. “We get to take time out of our lives to go out into the community.”
Struthers native Dana Safarek does double-duty by serving as a Boardman High English teacher and Emerging Leaders adviser. So far this year, the group has hammered away with Habitat for Humanity in helping to build a Boardman home, rung in donations for the Salvation Army and showed patriotism by helping with a local veterans appreciation ceremony, to name a few. The group is slated to host a basketball skills clinic in January to support the 2018 Special Olympics.
Emerging Leaders evolved five years ago as a positive outlet encouraging students to serve in their community. It was born from the high school’s annual Yes Fest.
“The fest sends a positive message ... so instead of telling kids to say ‘no’ to drugs, it gives the idea of what are you going to say ‘yes’ to?” said Safarek, “Emerging Leaders gives students something to say ‘yes’ to.”
In addition to community volunteer work, the group focuses on a theme each year that is intended to aid in their personal development. This year, the group’s theme is Entrepreneurship in the Valley. Safarek said local speakers make presentations to the students during their monthly meetings on topics dealing with leadership.
Overall, Safarek said she is impressed with the Emerging Leaders. There are about 150 student members, which increases each year.
“They come out on weekends and give up a lot of their time. I can text them the night before about a volunteer opportunity, and they will show up at 8 a.m. the next morning,” said Safarek. “It speaks for Boardman, the kind of kids that we have.”