Clayton High School
Nevaeh Griffin
Nevaeh has learned that the need to serve others will always exist, no matter how much the world changes. She started her volunteer work at a camp sponsored by the Camden County Diocese, where she and a group of students served every day at a different location, including The Arc, nursing homes, soup kitchens, food banks and a church on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. In addition to serving others outside of her school, Nevaeh tutors her peers and especially enjoys coaching cheerleading to younger girls.
Jose Marinero
Jose’s desire to serve others began when he started 6th grade, and he has continued to volunteer ever since. He has devoted many hours to serving his community by collecting and distributing food to the less fortunate and clearing the streets of trash. He especially enjoys visiting senior centers and connecting with the elderly residents. In school, Jose has tutored children in various subjects, from fundamental soccer to math and problem solving. He joined his high school’s JROTC program, which has given him even more opportunities to volunteer. As a member of the National Honor Society, he has collected food for veterans and others in need.
Clearview High School
Ishareet Sohal
Ishareet learned at any early age to be grateful for any opportunity to help others. Her parents instilled in her the belief that one’s greatest accomplishment is giving back to those who cannot help themselves, and her grandmother taught her that the only thing that remains when one passes away is their impact upon others in their life. Ishareet ‘s volunteer work has included teaching English to women, assisting in school activities and helping with freshman orientation.
Luke Walters
Luke believes that giving back to his community has helped him to grow as a person and will shape his future. He is very active in his community, and as a volunteer for the Harrison Township Recreation Department assisted with the Halloween parades, township days and Easter egg hunts. He has worked extensively with his school’s student council and community service projects. The one experience that has impacted Luke the most was as a volunteer at the Mullica West Community Center where he assisted in providing social opportunities and tutoring to disadvantaged children living in the area.
Delsea Regional High School
Juliana Sharrow
Juliana loves to serve others and describes volunteering as an opportunity to give back to her community. She has devoted her time to many events, but most especially finds her work with the Glamour Gals to most rewarding. Once a month its members visit an assisted living facility where they spend time giving manicures and interacting with the residents. In 2019, Juliana attended a seminar at Kean University and took part in service activities for the Linus Project and Light the Candle. Participating in this seminar encouraged her to increase her awareness of the needs of those around her.
Brandon Seymour
Brandon does not volunteer for recognition but rather because he feels the need to serve others. As a freshman, he was one of the first leaders of the Student Voice and Equity Committee, which gave the students a channel to express their opinions on the future of their school. The committee’s suggestions helped to improve the school’s learning environment for all students. Brandon also tutors students at Aura Elementary School. He describes tutoring as a means to help the children in completing their schoolwork while at the same time impacting positively on their lives. He also assists students with disabilities so that they may participate in community activities. He plans on serving others in the years ahead.
Deptford Township High School
Alyssa Zinni
Alyssa began volunteering with her mother at the Angels Community Outreach, where she helped in organizing food and clothing donations. She was so impressed by the organization that she inspired friends to join her. She particularly enjoys participating in the center’s holiday and back-to-school events, and finds it fulfilling to help families in need. Alyssa describes volunteering as a privilege and as an opportunity to help others for which she is most grateful.
Justin Marshall
For Justin, volunteering is a way to make the world a better place by helping those in need. During his freshman year, he was given the opportunity to work with children at Grandmom’s Treasures Daycare. He assisted with their educational and outdoor activities. Justin is currently involved in “It Starts Within Ministries”. The program will soon open its doors to the community and will give its residents access to computers, printers, books and games and will eventually sponsor additional activities. The organization plans to kick-off with a back-to-school yard sale, where residents in need will be given school supplies for their children.
Gateway Regional High School
Paige Britt
Serving her community has always been a priority in Paige’s life. Even before entering middle school, she participated in several projects, including the annual clean-up of Red Bank Battlefield. As a participant in Read Across America Day, she read to students at National Park Elementary School. While in high school, she has been an active member and leader of Rachel’s Challenge, the Key Club and the National Honor Society. Her activities have included volunteering at local food banks, making stuffed toy dogs for local animal shelters, assembling baskets of baked goods for hospice patients and preparing sandwiches for homeless shelters. Paige is also a member of One Kind Act a Month, an organization that provides food, shelter and clothing to the homeless. She plans to continue serving others both now and in the future.
Nate Smith
Nate considers himself fortunate to have a strong foundation for service rooted in family, school and community. He is a regular participant in Clean Communities Day in his hometown of Wenonah and has also volunteered at its library. As a member of his church’s youth group, Nate has prepared meals for the homeless and organized the food pantry. Each year he and his family participate in Martin Luther King Day events. In school, he is a member of the Book Club and National Honor Society and has read to children in the Read Across American program and has volunteered at local animal shelters. Nate is such a valued volunteer in his high school that the administration appointed him the spokesperson for the school in a promotional video. Nate describes his most meaningful contribution to the community as a member of Gateway’s Madigals, a select choir who spread joy in the community through singing. He has represented his school in both the South Jersey and All State Choirs and has been a member of the summer Hobo Band during his entire high school years. He plans to continue to be of service to others as he moves forward in life.
GCIT
Umali Patel
Umali describes volunteering as a way to compassionately serve the community while at the same time providing self-fulfillment, gratification and humbling experiences. She has served as president of the Deptford Pride LEO (Leadership, Experience and Opportunity) Club during her four years of high school. The club’s annual projects include talent shows and crafting with senior citizens, coat drives for the homeless, sending Valentine cards to veterans and pantry donations to a mother and child shelter. She was awarded international LEO of the Year, a prestigious honor that is bestowed upon 35 of the organizations thousands of members. During the Corona-19 virus pandemic, Umali sent cards to frontline workers and coordinated a contact-free coat drive for Joseph’s House in Camden and Angel’s Community Outreach. On her own, she has collected school supplies for donation to Acenda Integrated Health (formerly the Robin’s Nest) in Glassboro. In addition to fund-raising for the Out of the Darkness Foundation and the Buddy Walk, she is vice president of philanthropy of her school’s future health professionals club. Umali plans to continue her volunteer work in the years ahead.
Faraz Khan
When he first entered GCIT as a freshman, Faraz did not think he would have the confidence to step out of his comfort zone to help others. Once he started volunteering, he realized the beauty and gratification of serving others and began volunteering in dental offices, psychiatric facilities, at a school for special needs children, at a free clinic, in blood drives, for the Miracle League and performed before a large audience at a fund-raiser for the American Red Cross. He has been most impacted by his time spent with the patients confined to the psychiatric facility and at the school for special needs children. Volunteering for Faraz is a rewarding experience which has helped to strengthen his character and outlook on life, and he plans to serve others in the future.
Kingsway Regional High School
Julia Nocentino
Most of Julia’s volunteer activities have revolved around her membership in her school’s student council. The council members have made fleece blankets for children in foster care, assisted in the Head Start program, set up an annual blood drive and encouraged fellow students to donate blood. As an executive board member of Students United for Respect and Equality, she has held collection drives for personal care products donated to women living in shelters. Her community volunteer work has included the annual Harvest Gala, where students serve Thanksgiving dinner to senior citizens and spend the evening interacting with them. Julia finds this event to bring joy and special memories to both the seniors and the students. She loves volunteering and is grateful for the opportunity serve her community.
Dalton Britner
Since he was a child, Dalton has always been interested in helping others. During the summer of 2017, he was a volunteer counselor for the Gloucester County YMCA summer camp. He immediately took to this activity because of his desire to positively impact on the lives of young children. During the four-week program, he served as both a role model and friend to the campers and will never forget the bonds that he formed with many of the children. He has also volunteered at the Kings Things Thrift Store in Swedesboro, where he helped to guide the customers through the store, carried food from the pantry to their cars and helped the owner to transition the store from summer to winter. Dalton found working in the food pantry to be especially inspiring and plans to continue to volunteer as means to bring smiles and comfort to others.
Our Lady Of Mercy Academy
Stephanie Savela
Stephanie has been involved in many community and school service activities. As a ten-year member of Girl School Troop 56363, she participated in several annual projects, including stuffing stockings to send to soldiers, filling Easter eggs for a community hunt and volunteering at the ALS Walk-a-Thon. To earn a Bronze Star Award, the troop renovated a local senior center by raising funds, which were used to repaint the kitchen and purchase updated appliances. She and her family are active volunteers for the Vineland Salvation Army, and each year have served at its Thanksgiving Food Drive and annual “Packing 10,000 Meals” project. In her school setting, she is a member of the Interact Club and was also selected to represent the Academy at the Rotary Youth Leadership Conference. As a “Big Sister” through the Big Sisters/Big Brothers organization, Stephanie has mentored an elementary school student.
Paulsboro High School
Ess Shade’ Adonis
Ess Shade’s voyage to Paulsboro High School started in Guyana and continued in Venezuela and New York. She cites negative childhood experiences because of her inability to speak English and racial bias as a catalyst for her community outreach. During her years in high school, she taught English to her Spanish-speaking classmates and helped to guide them in their studies. She has also been a member of the school’s Key Club, SURE, Art Service and the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program. In addition to her school activities, Ess Shade’ is a member of the Swedesboro Seventh Day Adventist Church, where she has served as a youth leader and enjoyed planning fun activities for the young church members. Her role in the Gibbstown Volunteer Fire Department is held dearest to her heart and has helped her to discover her passion to help others while saving lives. Ess Shade’ considers it a civic virtue to give to the less fortunate, and she aims to make a difference in the lives of others.
Tino Savaiinaea
Coming from a Samoan household, Tino was taught to respect others and to give back to his community. When he is not working for his family business, South Pacific Island Dancers, as a cook, dancer and disc jockey, he enjoys helping others, from aiding a stranded motorist on the roadside to volunteering at his church. He is a member of the Key Club, Student Council, Big Brothers-Big Sisters and enjoys visiting senior citizen homes where he performs South Pacific dancing for the residents. Tino devotes himself to mentoring young students and helping them transition into high school. He plans to attend Franklin Pierce University to study psychology and sociology. Tino believes that that it is much better to give than to receive, and he plans to carry on doing so in the years ahead.
Pitman High School
Elizabeth Giedosh
Elizabeth volunteers not only to earn hours for the school’s Key Club and National Honor Society, but more importantly because she finds it to be rewarding. On Sundays she serves at her church nursery, where she watches and entertains the children. Elizabeth especially enjoys volunteering at the annual Highland Carnival and the Pitman Fall Craft Fair, where she and members of the school soccer team raised more than $1,000.00. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she participated in her town’s environmental cleanup, which raised funds for her school’s Booster Club. She currently volunteers for the Healthy Kids Running organization, where she helps to set up the course, keeps track of the runners’ times and undertakes other duties to assist the other volunteers. Elizabeth has learned by serving others much good can be done in the world.
Ryan Monteith
Ryan has devoted countless hours to community service, which stems not only from a passion to help others, but also to make his community an inviting place. He has served extensively both in and out of school. Ryan has been actively involved in the Key Club and Student Council and volunteered to organize school dances, decorate the school for spirit week and work at the teacher appreciation dinners. School spirit is very important to him, and he volunteers whenever possible to assist the school’s teams by creating posters and fan sections. He has served his community in fundraising and collecting for food drives, volunteering at the Pitman Manor and assisting in sporting events for elementary school students. Ryan is most passionate about his service to the Miracle League, a program that works with young students at Bankbridge Elementary School. The organization sponsors baseball programs for children with learning and physical disabilities, and he has worked closely as a buddy to multiple players. Ryan plans to continue to serve others throughout his life.
Washington Township High School
Francesca Dostillio
Francesca’s volunteer work mainly involves the Rotary Interact Club, which sparked her passion for community service. As an Executive Board member, she chaired several events each year, including food and clothing drives and a fund-raiser for the ALS Association, which raised $15,000.00. She is the current co-president of Interact, which requires her to chair meetings and events. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the organization has been unable to conduct its usual events and instead organized the first township cleanup, where volunteers assisted elderly residents with yard work. Francesca created the Reading to Kindergarteners Initiative, aimed at helping teachers to introduce young students to literature. In the summer of 2019, she participated in an Interact delegation expedition to Europe. One of her most memorable activities of that trip was the setting up of a school in Athens, Greece for a disadvantaged community. This trip proved to be extremely rewarding and further ignited Francesca’s passion to serve others, which she hopes to carry with her during college.
Jake Minnick
The idea of giving to others is nothing new to Jake. His family has always involved him in volunteering activities and continuing that tradition is important to him. From a young age, he asked himself what he could do to help people, and he has held the belief that it is his duty to serve others and to try to create a world that will be better now and for future generations. He has worked with families as a member of the teen advisory council for the Ronald McDonald House of South Jersey, which has given him the opportunity to see first-hand what families of ill children face on a daily basis. He has also devoted time to a food bank in Philadelphia, to the Epilepsy Foundation and as a soccer coach for Special Olympics. These experiences have all taught him how volunteering can create a positive change in the lives of others.
West Deptford High School
Amber Downs
When Amber entered high school, she was advised to get involved in everything, and since that time she has run with it. In her freshman year, she joined the Key Club and served as its president in her junior year. She lives by the club’s motto, “caring – our way of life” and has demonstrated this by leading the school’s Operation Blessing food drive, and volunteering outside of school at the Ronald McDonald House, Cathedral Kitchen, delivering meals to needy families on Thanksgiving and hosting an activity where sandwiches were prepared and distributed to the less fortunate in her community. Amber was taught by her parents to make the extra effort to positively impact upon the lives of other, and finds that her greatest joy is working with her peers in doing community service.
Justin McCullen
Justin believes that each person can contribute something to make the world a better place. He has done his part by volunteering in many ways, including registering with the Selective Service immediately upon reaching the age of 18. In his community, he takes the time to pick up litter and works with clean-up squads removing trash from county roads. Justin serves the senior citizens in his neighborhood by doing volunteer yard work and snow removal. He has supported local food banks and the Veterans of America and played tennis with participants in the Special Olympics. He plans to continue to serve others as he progresses through life.
Williamstown High School
Hannah Towers
Through volunteering, Hannah has learned about herself and the person she aspires to become. As a member of the National Junior Honor Society, she fell in love with giving back to her community. In middle school, she organized and participated in a back-to-school supply drive which distributed 30 bookbags to needy children. When she entered high school, Hannah continued her commitment to volunteering with such activities as “Stuff the Bus” which supplied the school’s food pantry. The experience that impacts her the most is participation in Bee a Blessing, a non-profit organization founded by her family in memory of her grandmother. This organization raises money for the Gift of Life House and the Children’s Organ Transplant Association. Hannah describes volunteering as a way to make a difference in the lives of others.
Alexander Le
Whenever Alexander devotes time to community service, he feels a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to help others. As a third-degree black belt, he teaches children of all ages and physical abilities Soo Bahk Do, a Korean martial art. He has participated in numerous service projects, including the “Empire Strikes Back”, a Star Wars- themed event which raised $1200 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and BLC, a financial literacy project that has reached 700 elementary school students. Alexander began his own campaign, “Reach New Heights”, which promotes career development education to high school students and community members. He is currently working with the non-profit organization, Bianca’s Kids, to execute an adopt-a-child event to raise funds to purchase holiday gifts for foster, needy and ill children in the state.
Woodbury High School
Ariyanna Wesley
When Ariyanna began high school, she noticed the need for a mentoring program to help younger students to succeed in their studies while at the same time finding that school can be a fun experience. The program, Be the Change, turned out to be rewarding, not just for her younger classmates but also for her peers. Because of the program Ariyanna has discovered new ways to promote kindness and positive change in herself and others. She plans to continue to help her school and community to thrive.
Gabriel Lavender
Gabriel has found that community service improves the lives of others while reminding him of the blessings in his own life. As a volunteer at the Angels Community Outreach in Pitman, he has donated his time to food drives, back-to-school events, helping military veterans and Christmas gift-giving to the less fortunate. Each month he volunteers at his school’s food bank, where he enjoys meeting members of his community as he distributes boxes of food. One of Gabriel’s most meaningful experiences was when he and his mother traveled to Camden to distribute food, blankets, pillows, coats and toothpaste to the city’s homeless residents. He looks forward to volunteering in the years ahead.