AUSTINBURG — “I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve,” wrote the German theologian Albert Schweitzer. On the Grand River Academy campus for this 2009-2010 school year, one of many focuses will be that of community involvement and service. Throughout the past few years, GRA has been able to be involved with many different community activities, events and projects. This year, the GRA staff and students are planning even more ways to involve the school with the local area.
Starting off this school year are two community service activities in which GRA students regularly participate. In October, students and faculty donated blood at the annual Red Cross blood drive at the Austinburg Town Hall, and will continue to do so in the coming months. Another service project that GRA participates in during the fall and spring months is highway cleanup. GRA has adopted part of Route 307 and has maintained the removal of trash for the past 17 years. This year, 20 students volunteered to remove the litter and helped to beautify the stretch of Route 307 by the GRA campus.
“I want GRA to help our natural surroundings and when people drive by and see our sign that says ‘This highway is adopted by Grand River Academy,’ I want them to think that our boys are really making a difference and helping the community,” said senior Ben Sesso, Student Council president.
GRA students have also found a way to help impact the younger members of the community by reading to students at Austinburg Elementary School. The speech class, taught by lifelong Austinburg resident Brian Ballentine, visits Austinburg Elementary once a week and reads children’s books to the developmentally disabled class, pre-school, kindergarten and first graders. GRA juniors, Jordon
Kolaric, Johnny McMath and David Thomas, are able to practice their presentation skills in front of a less intimidating audience and the elementary students enjoy a welcomed change in their day.
One of the goals for the 2009-2010 GRA Student Council is more community projects and involvement.
“For the people who need a helping hand, community service can give them a sense of hope and security,” Sesso said.
The Student Council, under advisers David Scharping and Katharine Radwancky, has a goal to have one project a month for students. Some current ideas range from helping in the Ashtabula soup kitchen, to visiting local nursing and retirement homes, as well as volunteering at the Animal Protective League and ringing the bell for the Salvation Army.
“For students to volunteer in a community that is not their own and to have the motivation to help people that they have not come in contact with is something special,” said Alicia Field, math teacher and long time adviser for community service projects at GRA. “We, especially as a boarding school, need to provide the opportunities that these students would get if they were in their home communities, as helping others is part of the maturing process; everyone will hopefully feel the need to participate in community service projects during their high school years.”
Community service at GRA has always had a special meaning, but for this school year there is an extra significance. With GRA more involved with local people and events, students feel a more personal connection with the community and are looking forward to making a difference in the lives of people living in Ashtabula County.
Next Generation
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submitted photo/Tom O'Neal
Discussion
Grand River students connect to the community, help the environment through volunteer work
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