Student Leadership Strengthens Pittsburgh Action Team Projects
The
Pittsburgh Action Team makes things happen. Over a dozen students meet
every other week at the Fox Chapel Area High School to plan various
projects for their school and community. So far this school year, team
members have raised over $250 for future service projects, volunteered
at a 5K walk benefitting Project Bundle-Up, and helped facilitate a
holiday party for the youth and children at the Volunteers of America’s
All of Us Care program. This included wrapping over 200 gifts, playing
games and making crafts with youth.
The team’s current
focus is a recycling initiative for their high school, and potentially
their school district. The three facets of the project include: 1.
educating their peers and incoming freshman on the recycling systems in
place; 2. donating personal time to assist in collecting and sorting
recyclable materials; and 3. creating clearer signage for recycling bins
already within their school.
Action Team Captain
Susheel Khetarpal has been a diligent recruiter and organizer for the
team over the past two years and is especially energized about the
team’s recycling efforts. According to Susheel, “It is important that
younger generations understand some basic problems with the environment
at their age so that they may be able to change their community at their
own pace.”
Through this student-run leadership, the
Pittsburgh Action Team is making a difference in their community as part
of the Volunteers of America partnership with the Major League Baseball
Players Trust.
Action Team is a new activity for teens in high school. Volunteers of America has a partnership with the Major League Baseball Players Trust to promote the nurturing and well-being of America’s children. The partnership features the personal involvement of Major league baseball players and their families through a variety of programs. Together they administer the Action Team a national youth volunteer program inspiring the next generation of volunteers. Major League Baseball Players Joel Hanrahan, Ross Olendorf, and Kevin Hart with the Pittsburgh Pirates support the Pittsburgh Action Team comprised of students from the Fox Chapel Area and Shaler Area School Districts to execute community service projects in their communities.