National Honor Society

Our members were committed to service despite the hurdles faced by Covid. Here are some examples that we are proud of:

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Hello! National Honors Society is a great way to stay involved in the community around us. One easy way to get involved is through your Westford Academy sports programs. As a basketball and volleyball player, I was able to teach and mentor young Westford Athletes at camps and clinics. These clinics were a lot of fun as I got to interact with the kids and teach them skills that  I  have learned over the last couple years. If you would like to participate, reach out to your coaches and captains to see if they need any assistance at their upcoming clinics.

Another amazing organization that would love your help is the Saint Paul's Soup Kitchen located in Lowell.  I  have been serving food at this soup kitchen ever since I was a little girl and it is such an amazing experience to be a part of. It gives you exposure to the lower class community and the kind people in our neighboring towns. You can go to the soup kitchen any weekday and serve food to the community. If you would like to get involved, you can sign up on the website http://stpaulssoupkitchen.org/. This is an amazing experience that you will not regret volunteering for!

I was unable to do much community service this year due to the pandemic, however there were still some opportunities. I participated in the Saint Vincent de Paul Fall Cleanup, where we went around town and raked leaves at the center and various yards, and the Build-a-Bed Event with Sleep In Heavenly Peace Organization, where we used power tools to assemble and construct the pieces. Saint Vincent de Paul is a youth service group at St. Catherines Church and is a really great way to get involved with the Westford and surrounding communities. It is a group for high schoolers and is an amazing and fun way to volunteer with friends. I would recommend anyone who goes to St. Catherines to join if anyone is interested they can follow the facebook group at SVdP Youth to get more information. I also volunteered at my dance studio as an assistant teacher throughout the winter. 

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, I completed community service hours by recording music with the Troubadours club. Due to the social distancing restrictions, the normal club performances such as performing at the holiday bazaar and the Toys for Tots fundraiser were not possible, so recordings were made to be shared out into the community. This year, we recorded multiple times a various selection of musical pieces, some of which include Copland’s Hoe Down and various holiday music for the holiday season. We shared this music with those in our community to spread joy during these challenging times. I have participated in Troubadours for the past four years and I am very pleased to have continued spreading music and to have made a contribution to my community. We recorded the pieces in the auditorium of Westford Academy and our rehearsals are every Friday afternoon after school. 

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I have worked as a part of the Westford Teen Arts Council (WTAC) throughout my time in high school, and we continued even during the pandemic. With this organization we normally organize and run events roughly once a month, often open mic nights. These open mic nights allow people, including us as organizers, to have safe spaces to share art and music with each other, and are amazing social opportunities as well. During the pandemic, we have also held virtual game nights and Zoom hangouts to maintain this welcoming community. In these game nights not only was I able to see, chat with, and play games with people who I do not get to see in person anymore. Not only that, but we were able to help people from our community connect with other people they have not seen in a long time as well, for our three or four hour zoom hangouts. Once the pandemic reaches safe levels and in person open mics can resume, WTAC will resume those, and until then there may be more virtual events coming. To join the council, you can connect with WTAC on Instagram at @wtac_arts, and to get updated about events, follow WTAC there and on Facebook.

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I love dedicating my time to help my church community by taking part in the Walk for the Poor every year, donating canned goods to the food pantry, contributing through the Blessed Trinity Church’s music ministry, and many others. Unfortunately it has been difficult being able to take part in many service activities through my church during this covid year, but I have been trying the best that I can to stay involved. Choir has been a huge challenge due to social distancing rules, but I have been fortunate to get the opportunity to lead my church in song by dedicating my time as a cantor. I have been able to attend music rehearsals and then sing for the church’s community. These experiences have given me the opportunity to share joy and positivity through music during this very difficult time. As musicians, we have also found other ways to contribute to this community by putting together online recordings of different church choir pieces. I plan on continuing to dedicate my time to lift people’s spirits and bring people together as a church through this wonderful music ministry. Last summer I signed up to participate in the Blessed Trinity Church’s mission trip. However, it was cancelled due to covid. If this amazing trip is going to happen this year, I am hoping to contribute my service this upcoming summer. Other works of service that I have done this year include raising money for Brain Cancer by participating in the Boston Brain Tumor Walk, donating to the Westford food Pantry and donating blood to the Westford Academy blood drive. The Boston Brain Tumor Walk is a service activity that I have participated in every year for the last 10 years, and I am so thankful that I was still able to do it this year virtually. It is so important to raise money and awareness for this cause. I have a close friend who is fighting this horrible disease and there are so many others around the world who suffer from it as well. 

If you attend the Blessed Trinity Church and are interested in contributing your time and talent to the music ministry, you can contact the music director Kelly Clark. All of her contact information is on the church’s website here. 

The Walk for the Poor takes place on Veterans Day every year. For this and other community events, visit the church’s website. 

If you are interested in signing up for the Blessed Trinity Church’s annual mission trip, you can access contacts on the church’s website here.

If you are interested in donating to the Boston Brain Tumor Walk, you can donate here. 

You can also join the fight by signing up to walk!

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In a normal year, I would have volunteered at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. There, I transport specimens to the lab, discharge and transport patients out of and around the hospital, deliver gifts, and file paperwork. This experience has given me a well-rounded view of the ins-and-outs of the hospital. I had to learn the hospital routines and passages in order to do my job. Volunteering also allows for a lot of patient interaction. I get to meet people from different backgrounds and help them in any way that I can. This is my favorite part of the experience. Applications can be completed at any time, although I would recommend submitting at the start of the summer or the school year. Here is a link to the application: https://www.snhhealth.org/SNHH/media/Documents/volunteen-application.pdf

Also, you would need to email Kameo.Chasse@snhhs.org or call (603) 577-2959 in order to find a meeting time for the interview portion of the application process.

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For my community service, I stayed involved with my youth group, St. Vincent de Paul, as the Co-President. We put together gift baskets for a church in a less fortunate part of Lowell during the Christmas season. We also paired hats and mittens for over 40 religious education students at this church. We participated in fall/spring cleaning, and have been active participants with Build A Bed in volunteering on various Saturdays to build and stain wood for bed platforms that are brought to homeless shelters. We are in the process of making spring cleaning buckets for the Westford Food Pantry, and are hoping to do car washes to fund money for our group and church. I encourage other underclassmen and members of the National Honor Society to join youth groups such as St. Vincent de Paul, and give as much time as you can to small organizations around your town and community. 

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 For my community service opportunity, I worked at Strongwater Farm Therapeutic Equestrian Center, a therapeutic riding barn for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities. Volunteers at Strongwater do a wide variety of things: from working directly in lessons with the clients, cleaning the barn, feeding the horses, and cleaning equipment and supplies. Strongwater will match you to a job based on your horse-related experience, and whatever it is you feel comfortable with. And, if you want to expand your work, they do a really good job of teaching volunteers new skills. I myself have been riding for 10+ years, and work directly in the clients’ lessons, which I highly recommend for anyone with riding experience whose interested.

The Strongwater community is really supportive, and the work that they do with these kids/adults is amazing. Equine therapy can help developmentally delayed people improve their cognition, social skills, confidence, motor skills, and conversation skills. I’ve been working there for almost 4 years, and have had the most amazing experience.

Website Link: https://strongwaterfarm.org/

Volunteer Coordinator (Stacey):  volunteer@strongwaterfarm.org 

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Before volunteering anywhere, I think it is crucial to identify your interests. For me, that consisted of two things, medicine, and teaching. The former was satisfied via volunteering at Emerson hospital. While my time there was cut short, I learned a lot about the basics of a hospital, as well as how to interact with patients. Spending time  at a site where you have legitimate interest and passion is good both for you as the volunteer, as well as the people you are helping. In this case, I was helping the medical professionals and the patients of the hospital, and as strange as it sounds, a lot of big hospitals depend on their volunteers to keep the operation running smoothly.  I now know that I want to pursue medicine as a career. Additionally I have always enjoyed teaching, so after 3 years I was finally able to join the tutoring committee, and help out struggling students. 

Emerson hospital volunteer office: jadavis@emersonhosp.org 

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My name is April Collamore, and I am a member of the Tadmuck Chapter of the National Honors Society here at Westford Academy. Due to restrictions this year I have not been able to complete as many service hours as I originally planned, however one way I was able to support our community was by participating in the Westford Academy String Troubadours. Troubadours, or “troubs,” is an after-school club offered at the high school, open to anyone who has enrolled in or taken orchestra at Westford Academy for one year. Every Friday afternoon we meet in the PAC and rehearse music, both as a large ensemble and in smaller chamber groups. Every few weeks, or whenever we feel that we have practiced a song to the best of our ability, we record ourselves playing the piece. Some students then work together to create a video of the performance, which is later shared with others in the community. For instance, earlier this year some of the videos were sent to local senior centers. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people in these homes were unable to go out and see live performances or experience music first-hand, so sharing music with them was our attempt at bringing extra joy to their daily lives. The Troubadours YouTube page, where some of these videos are posted, is linked below. Due to COVID-19 restrictions we were unable to do so this year, but in past years students have even played live at the WPS December Mentor/Mentee gathering, the FAME dinner dance in April, the Miller library dedication, the WPS June Mentor/Mentee gathering, Westford Academy WACapella night and the Day School Strings Concert. Overall Troubadours is the perfect way for students to combine their talents and interest for music with their want to spread local happiness, and is thus the perfect way to both have fun and give back to the community. 

I can attest that Troubadours is an amazing space to meet new people, stay connected with old friends, and continue a love for music even when scheduling gets busy. Unfortunately I had to give up taking Orchestra as a course this school year, but Troubadours allowed me to continue playing the viola. If you are interested in joining, you should contact Mr. Culver, the orchestra director here at Westford Academy, whose contact information is below. We meet every Friday afternoon, usually from around 2:30-4:00pm, and practice through the school year (starting in September). I highly recommend this club as a way to connect with friends while spreading cheer throughout the local community!

Best,

April Collamore

Troubadours’ YouTube page: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGrTI-nmepebXz43mu88eXQ 

Contact Information: Mr. Culver, WA Orchestra Director kculver@westfordk12.us 

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One of my favorite service projects from this year was Build a Bed! Due to COVID, it was harder to find in person opportunities for acts of service. Although I participated in clothing drives, fundraisers, and food drives, I could not work at many local service projects including Soup Kitchens and Christmas in the City. I was able to participate in the Build a Bed event, which was organized by the St. Vincent de Paul group. I have been a part of this organization for a few years in highschool, and it has allowed me to attend many meaningful service events! This year, Build a Bed was helping to provide beds for many local families. Our main tasks included sanding wood, staining wood, aligning and attaching planks with tools, and much more. With our big group of helpers, we were able to make multiple beds. After our work was completed, I felt very grateful that I was able to participate. As me and many others had given up just a few hours from our day, we were able to benefit many families. I encourage others to look into SVDP! It is a great group, and it has taught me many valuable lessons. But, it also brings together many members of the community. 

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My main community service opportunity over my junior year was at the Acton Chinese Language School. I volunteered as a Teaching Assistant at the school’s “Programming with Python” class, and it was an excellent way for me to utilize my programming skills to help out younger students in the local community. Unfortunately, the school was forced to temporarily shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the Python programming club as off now has not been able to be restarted. I haven’t been able to complete any service opportunities during my senior year as of now due to the pandemic. However, if the “Programming with Python” class does restart before the end of the year, I will be sure to reapply as a Teaching Assistant.

For any future members who are looking for community service opportunities, especially those who identify as part of the Chinese community, the Acton Chinese Language club is always looking for new volunteers. The Fall semester starts in September, so I suggest applying in the summer for the best chances of receiving an opportunity.

The application form can be found here: http://www.acls-ma.org/index.php?option=com_volunteer&view=apply&Itemid=141&lang=en

Members with proficiency in Mandarin may TA for language courses:

http://www.acls-ma.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=114&lang=en

Additionally, I wide variety of extracurricular activities are offered and are looking for volunteers as well:

http://www.acls-ma.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=115&lang=en

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I joined the Westford Museum Club when I was a freshman and it truly has been one of my favorite clubs at Westford Academy. We gave the 3rd tours of the museum and manned the booth for the museum at the Strawberry Festival and Holiday Bizarre (and sometimes we got to dress up as the Westford Knight at these events). Personally, this year I volunteered at the town tree lighting, I got to speak at the celebration on the town common for the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment (Women’s Right to Vote), and I helped create a small book collection to help teach kindergartens to 8th graders about American History. Everyone here is kind and welcoming (and a little nerdy), and it is a great place to make new friends and learn a thing or two along the way. If you are interested in the Westford Museum Club email the club advisors, Mr. Norander (anorander@westfordk12.us) or Mrs. Winokur (lwinokur@westfordk12.us).

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This year, I was able to participate in Special Olympics as a gymnastics coach. We couldn’t practice our normal hours, but we did fit some practices in. This activity is really important because it brings joy to so many young kids, and it also is a learning opportunity for you. The kids that you work with get so excited when they get a new skill or they excel at something they are trying. It teaches you to be patient and to be a leader to someone who looks up to you. To get involved with special olympics, go to https://www.specialolympics.org/programs and select Massachusetts in order to find Special Olympic programs near you. You can also donate to the organization on that website and it’s a great way to get involved. 

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Organization: Project Linus, JOANN Fabrics

For service hours, I worked on crocheting the edges of two blankets, It took only a few minutes to learn how to crochet and then from there it was simple and only took a few hours per blanket. This is an important project because it provides for those members of our communities that are in need. The blankets go to children in hospitals, shelters, social service agencies, and any other place where a kid might need a blanket. It is a really fun project once you learn how to make these blankets and given enough time you can do a lot of good for a lot of people. 

Project Linus is a non-profit organization that makes and donates hand-made blankets to children in need. To participate, you simply buy materials and make handmade blankets which you then can drop off directly to Project Linus or at a participating JoAnn Fabrics store. The JoAnn Fabrics store in Westford (Found at 174 Littleton Rd) has teamed up with Project Linus if you want to drop off the final products there. There are a variety of different types of blankets that can be made, the requirements for blankets that Project Linus accepts can be found on their website: projectlinus.org

You can find ideas and guides for making different types of blankets at joann.com/project-linus/. On the website they give instructions and a list of the material requirements. Different blanket projects range in time investment from a few hours to needing an entire weekend. 

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For the past few years I have been able to help out with the organization, Heroes League. In the fall on Saturday mornings, Heroes League allows children with special needs or a disability to be partnered with someone, their buddy, and play a game of modified baseball. I have been partnered with my Hero for the last few years and we have been able to form a connection, and this has allowed him to open up. The progression my Hero has made through the past few years is amazing, and it is nice to see a smile on their face while playing the game. To get involved in this organization a student can look on the WYBSL website closer to fall, and register to donate their time for the Heroes League organization. The link for WYBSL is http://www.wybsl.com/ and running it is Christie Bliss, and her info can be found under the Board Members/ Contacts section on the website. 

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Since joining NHS my most valuable community service project was coaching a 7th grade girls basketball team for their travel season. I was able to get 92 volunteer hours and help 8 girls (including my sister) have a successful basketball (a sport which I love) season. This was very rewarding because I was able to pass on my love of the game and all the lessons I had learned while playing. More over, I also volunteered as a summer camp counselor at one of the local summer camps, Kids Club. Working as a coach/counselor is definitely something I suggest everyone should do for volunteer hours. Working with kids is always fun and exciting because every day is always different from the last and it demands you to be adaptable and creative. It keeps you engaged and grabs the best out of you as an individual and role model. Should a younger student be interested in volunteering in a similar fashion need to reach out to someone, I would suggest reaching out to Michelle Collete with the Westford Parks and Rec department` (fr summer camp counselor) and for coaching they should reach out to the local basketball association or a school coach that is involved in the community. 

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Although I was unable to complete the required service hours for NHS due to the pandemic this year, I was still able to find several opportunities to help our local community. The Cradles for Crayons giving factory in Boston was able to accept in-person volunteers and I helped out by cleaning and sorting used shoes as well as sorting toys that would be later distributed to children. To me, this opportunity was especially important because I knew that children were having a hard time during the pandemic, especially those living in a low-income household, and it was nice knowing that I could make an impact on those families. To volunteer at this center, you have to fill out an inquiry form on their website and pre-register beforehand. The link to do this is: https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston/take-action/volunteer/in-the-giving-factory/. 

If you are not comfortable with in-person volunteering, they also have opportunities where you can pick up supplies to complete several activities at home. The giving factory is at 281 Newtonville Avenue.

Additionally, another organization I was able to volunteer with was the Upper Merrimack Valley Medical Reserve Corps (also known as UMV MRC). They have a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, including food packing, stocking of supplies, client intake at vaccination centers, etc. In order to be a MRC volunteer there is an application to fill out, and I would also recommend contacting Nancy Burns, who is the coordinator in Westford. Her email address is nburns@westfordma.gov. The link to the application is: https://umvmrc.org/application-forms/ 

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This year I am the Chairman  of the Westford Academy Holiday Bazaar. While we were not able to have our in person Bazaar this past December, our committee put in time prepping and planning and answering emails as we would in a typical year. We are also in the beginning stages of our planning for our 2021 Holiday Bazaar. Additionally, I am working with First Parish Church to help plan their 2021 Virtual Strawberry Festival. I enjoy this kind of volunteer work because it is similar to planning the Holiday Bazaar, so I can use some of my previous talents. Community service projects like these are nice because they bring the whole community together for an enjoyable experience. If anyone is interested in helping with the Strawberry festival, they should contact First Parish Church. The planning committee is for members of the church community I believe, but there may be space helping to put together the actual strawberry shortcakes. In addition to planning these town events, I am coaching Westford Girl’s Youth Lacrosse. I found out about this through Westford Acadmey’s lacrosse coach, Julie Oliver. I like this opportunity because it helps you understand how to be a leader, plan ahead, and engage children. I also enjoy it because I play lacrosse at Westford Academy and volunteering helps me understand how to be a  better player and teammate. 

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Like many others, most of my typical service opportunities were cancelled for this past year. However, I was able to work with my 4-H club to do more virtual service and continue to serve our local community. In a typical year, we do a shopping night where we use proceeds from a horse show that we host over the summer to purchase food and other goods to donate to the Westford Food Pantry. This year we were able to host a food drive instead where each member asked for food donations, which actually yielded more food for the pantry than if we had bought it ourselves, and cost no additional money to our club which was a huge success. We also created yard signs to put up at the very beginning of the pandemic to thank essential workers and spread positivity. I really enjoyed these activities and was glad for the opportunity, because it was a way to connect with both my club members and to help people around me in need, which was especially important at the beginning of the pandemic when many were experiencing hardship in different ways and in our virtual world to spread kindness and generosity. 4-H is an excellent organization for other service opportunities like cleaning up the 4-H fairgrounds and volunteering at local events like the Strawberry Festival hosted by First Parish Church United in Westford, and there are clubs for several different interests such as crafting, horses, goats, rabbits, and many more. I am a member of the Stoneybrook 4-H Saddle Club, which is a horse club, but many others can be found on the Massachusetts 4-H website sorted by county. My club meets on the first Thursday of every month, and in typical years we generally have about one opportunity for service per month.

Massachusetts 4-H Clubs listing: https://ag.umass.edu/mass4h/programs/4-h-clubs

For information on specific clubs in Middlesex County, contact: Va Shon Wallace-Hiltpold, 617-243-1934, vwallace@umext.umass.edu

Contact for my club (Stoneybrook 4-H Saddle Club): Lanea Tripp, leader@stoneybrook4hsaddleclub.com

Website with more information about my club: https://4hmiddlesexhac.org/stoneybrook-4-h

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Service Documentation

Although the program is not complete yet, the one service opportunity I have been able to pursue over this time has been volunteering with the Ghosts and Goblins program. In this, I am able to meet with a group of 3-5th grade students over google meet along with some of my peers. I believe that anyone is a good suit for this program, as long as you like to have fun with the kids! We sometimes help them with homework, but most of the time we have leftover time to play games and chit-chat. I think this experience was very meaningful for me because I got to build relationships with the kids and peers in my group which made it even more enjoyable. Ghosts and Goblins is also very easy to get involved with because the meetings only occur for one hour every Tuesday, and they are virtual due to Covid. But, in a normal year, we would be traveling to Day School to do the same sort of thing. If you are looking to get involved, email Ms. Jozokos at mjozokos@westfordk12.us , tell her you are interested, and she will give you access to the google classroom as well as add you to the list of volunteers for next year. Ghosts and Goblins runs from approximately December-May, and I know new Ghosts will be needed next year, so don’t hesitate to join! 

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One of the things I was able to do this year was to run a food drive through my scout troop for the Westford Food Pantry. We had each scout take 4 bags home, then they kept one of the bags and then gave the other three to friends and family. Once everyone had enough time to collect their food, we had them drop it off at my house, and then I organized a big drop off at the food pantry. In total we managed to raise 290 pounds of food. It was a really smooth process, the people at the food pantry were very communicative and I was able to organize drops off through a short chain of emails. So, if you have a group that you think you can run something like this in, like a sports team or a club, I highly suggest contacting the food pantry to see what you can do to help. Even if it's just a personal donation, they can use all the help they can get especially during the current conditions with COVID-19. You can find more information on their website at https://www.westfordfoodpantry.org/. 

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Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic I was unable to complete my service hours, as I would’ve liked to. However, that being said, no circumstances should be able to stop someone from doing service in any way they can. Through a virtual club, I set up a fundraiser to help Honduras in wake of the Eta and Iota hurricanes. Hondurans were devasted and in dire need of help at that time. With the help of the Spanish Club and the Advisor, Profe Aleman, I raised over $200 for Honduras. I did this by selling scarves and donating all the proceeds to Honduras. Even when you are unable to physically volunteer at an institution, there are still effective ways to get involved such as via email, websites, social media, etc. I enjoyed this experience and I was happy to help those in need. It’s so important to be aware of what’s going on in the world around us and be willing to help. To get involved with similar fundraisers, younger students should contact local shelters, teachers, or club advisors such as the Human Rights Club or Hands to Haiti or simply use the internet to find ways to get involved or volunteer at local events/places. 

Here are some helpful links/info:

ringerslev@westfordk12.us (Human rights club advisor, meets Thursdays 2-3 pm)

mjozokos@westfordk12.us (SADD & Herren Project advisor, meets Wednesday’s 2-2:30pm)

https://westfordlibrary.org/about/volunteering/ (link for volunteering at the local library)

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Community service is easily one of the most rewarding activities I have been able to participate in during my high school career. It always brings me so much joy to know that I have been able to help out those around me and in my community, and add a little bit of positivity to the world around me. Unfortunately, due to COVID, options have been limited for ways to help out. One opportunity that you may want to consider takes place at Mt. Calvary Church in Acton. Every Wednesday they host a community supper. Usually it takes place in person, but due to the pandemic they have started packaging the meals and distributing them using a drive through. As a volunteer, you can help with food preparation and cooking, and the clean up required after that, as well as you can help distribute the food to those in need. On this website, you can scroll to the bottom and sign up to receive information about volunteering: https://www.mtcalvaryacton.org/community-supper. Good luck!

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     Due to the pandemic I was unable to complete all of my service hours. Some things that I was able to do was in the beginning of the school year, I volunteered with chromebook distribution at the Nab school. I found out about this through emails so I definitely would keep your eyes out and jump at any opportunities to help out. Another thing that I am currently doing is I am helping out a family friend who has cancer in her dog walking business. I will be walking around 2-3 dogs almost everyday to help her out. I had a connection with this opportunity but I have also found that people often post advertisements on Facebook. I suggest joining different Westford Facebook groups like “Westford Friends” or “Free Westford Friends” to find more opportunities. Some things that I would have liked to do was help out and volunteer at the MSPCA in Methuen. The MSPCA is an organization that care for abandoned animals. They have horses, goats, dogs, cats, guinea pigs and so much more. Sadly they were not accepting volunteers due to Covid but in normal years they need people to walk the animals up for adoption, clean their enclosures, provide food, water and toys, etc. This is a great option for animal loving people looking to help out their community. A link to apply to be a volunteer is posted below. Another plan that I had this year was to volunteer through the Wish Project. This is an organization focused on donating furniture, clothes, diapers, baby supplies, etc. to those in need. The donation center is located in Chelmsford and the link is also posted below. Other great opportunities are volunteering at local soup kitchens. I have done this in the past through my church so that is another way helping out.

Link to MSPCA Volunteer applications: 

https://www.mspca.org/adoption-centers/nevins-farm-adoption-center/nevins-farm-volunteer-program/

Link to St. Paul Soup Kitchen: 

http://stpaulssoupkitchen.org/contact-us/

Link to The Wish Project:

https://www.thewishproject.org/

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During a normal year, I would have had many hours of community service, however this year was very different due to COVID. Although I was unable to complete community service hours, I was still able to give back to the community from afar and virtually. As a member of the meaningful service committee, during the holidays I made virtual cards for hospital patients, and this was not part of the required service, but I also donated money to Boston Children’s Hospital, as well as St. Jude’s. Even if you cannot give a lot of money, every penny counts. One of the biggest ways people were able to donate this year was through virtual fundraisers, and that was one of my main ways of contributing to the community. I also participated in the NHS clothing drive, which was easy to do from afar because all I had to do was collect old clothes and drop it off to a donation bin. Additionally, I contributed to the NHS food drive for the food pantry. Since I was having trouble completing community service hours, I signed up for the blood drive, which is another good way to give back to the community. (I originally signed up in December, but it got cancelled due to a snowstorm, so I did sign up for one in April). This year was challenging for everyone, but there’s always a way to give back, whether it’s virtual or in person. Community service doesn’t have to be hours of work, it can also be simple gestures which help  the community in a huge way. It’s all about creativity. 

Contact information: 

Virtual Holiday Cards + Monetary Donations: 

• https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/other-ways/online-card-message-patients.html 

• https://secure.childrenshospital.org/site/SPageNavigator/Send_a_Message.html 

Blood Drive: 

• https://www.massgeneral.org/blood-donor 

Food Drive: 

• https://mvfb.org/ 

Clothing Drive: 

https://satruck.org/ 

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My name is Anika Saxena and I am currently a senior at WA in 2021. This year, due to the pandemic and a completely different way of learning, it was difficult for many students to complete the total number of service hours that they needed for the NHS. However, one plus side to all this chaos was that it taught us the importance of community service during difficult times. I actually decided to volunteer virtually at Newton-Wellesley hospital and with the Medical Reserve Corps of the Upper Merrimack Valley. With the public health and medical industry overwhelmed with COVID-19, it is the duty of civilians to help out our health care workers as much as possible, and thus I volunteered to help at the front desk/administration and direct calls at the hospital while aiding in flu and COVID-19 clinics through the MRC. This was important to the local community as the staff of these organizations could cover more bases and spend time organizing and creating solutions to other problems that they had, while I was able to gain exposure and experience. I enjoyed being given the opportunity to give back to my community while doing things that weren’t just busywork. I truly learned from this experience and would recommend it to anyone interested. If you would like to know more about these opportunities call the volunteer department at Newton Wellesley Hospital at 617-243-6048 or contact Nancy Burns from the MRC for other opportunities at nburns@westfordma.gov. 

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        I applied for a summer volunteer program at the Bedford location of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This was supposed to take place in the summer of 2020, however it got postponed to 2021 and is currently still on hold. The program that I applied to was called the Summer Student Volunteer Program. This program would have focused on getting hands on experience with patients in the department. This is an important experience for anyone, but specifically students who want to go into a medical field. This experience can also be helpful for college applications. Contact information and details can be found at these two sites: https://www.bedford.va.gov/giving/ and https://www.volunteer.va.gov/StudentProgram.asp. 

Something that I was able to successfully do was meal donations at the Lowell Transitional Living Center. This location is looking for meals that can feed 100-150 people. Providing a meal involves signing up for a particular day on their website, buying the supplies needed, putting the meal together, and delivering the meal to the center. The putting together and delivering of the meal takes 3 people about 5-7 hours. This is an important volunteer service because students are able to give back to their community in a way which is rewarding to both the giver and the recipient. Due to COVID-19, I was not allowed to serve the meals, which would have provided an even greater involvement and reward. Contact information, meal calendars, and details about this service can be found at https://ltlc.org/community-meals-kitchen/. 

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If you are looking for a way to make a meaningful contribution to both your community and your school, there’s a large variety of ways that you can donate your time and energy into making a difference. A great way you can look to do this is by making room in your schedule every week committed to service activities. For example, I had planned to spend every Thursday afternoon helping at my local food bank, as it was a place I had spent time working at in the past. However, I was unable to do so due to some members of my family being high risk. By having scheduled volunteer hours every week, giving to the community becomes a regular part of your life as opposed to an event you put time aside for once a month. I most enjoyed volunteering through this method, as it allowed me to build relationships with the people I was working with and for. I would suggest getting involved in the beginning of the school year, and by looking on the website of your local food bank or similar organizations for volunteer opportunities to sign up for, such as: https://www.gbfb.org/get-involved/volunteer/ 

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The last community service opportunity I was able to be a part of before quarantine and COVID-19 was coaching a recreational middle school girl’s basketball team for the Westford Youth Basketball Association. It was especially important to me because I have played basketball since elementary school and first started with recreational basketball. I enjoyed coaching the younger girls and switching roles from being a player to a coach. Rec basketball usually runs from December to March every year, but sadly this season was cancelled. I am sure it will be back for next season! To get involved, you can check out the WYBA website http://www.westfordhoops.com/ and you can click “Contact Us” and reach out to whichever league you want to help out with--there is elementary and middle school boys/girls.

Another opportunity I was able to be a part of during the peak of COVID-19 was a nonprofit a few of my friends and I started called 4thefrontliners. My friend’s family was directly affected by COVID-19, and we wanted to find a way to thank all the healthcare workers putting their lives on the line to help others. We sold bracelets and raised almost $800 for the Mass General Hospital Emergency Relief Fund. I enjoyed making a difference during tough times, and even putting some of my social media and marketing skills to use creating our Instagram. Right now, a couple of my friends are turning a new page with 4thefrontliners for their Senior Experience, and are looking for new ideas and donations. If you are interested, follow @4thefrontliners on Instagram, or reach out to 21kthai@westfordk12.us or 21jhill@westfordk12.us to look for opportunities to help!

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Like many, I’m sure, due to COVID, all of my volunteering opportunities have been canceled. I also have yet to be able to find an online volunteer opportunity that doesn’t already have enough members. Instead, I did some research to find a way of using pop-up ads to benefit an organization in need. The site I found, uses pop-up ads to donate money to the World Food Program. The site is beta.freerice.com. I don’t get any service credit for it but I have spent countless hours playing the games where you answer trivia questions and as you do, the ads pop up on the website. So, every time you answer a question and a new ad pops up, that just made the website money and they donate to the World Food Program so they can give food to people who need it. I picked this because I know that with COVID people aren’t getting enough food and this was something I could to help out.