Freshmen plan service project, involve class in volunteering

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Madeline Thiara

Freshman Shelby Low hands out a lunch to someone living on the streets of the Pol Gulch district in San Francisco. The freshman class made and passed out lunches for their Freshmen Signature Service Project.

WEB EXCLUSIVE Freshmen gathered in the Columbus Room at Stuart Hall for their Freshmen Signature Service Project.

Service Learning Director Ray O’Connor assigned Students in Action members from each grade to lead a coed class service project. SIA members Elise Vulakh, Amelia Abernethy, Mackenna Moslander, Madeline Thiara, Joe Shea and Owen Akel planned the activities for the freshman class.

“We have been planning this day for a really long time and we have put a lot of thought in it,” freshman Amelia Abernethy said. “Our goal for this project was for our grade to come together and to truly understand what a problem homelessness is and the little things we can do to help those in need.”

Before the main activity started, guest speaker Sherilyn Adams, Executive Director of Larkin Street Youth Services, presented to the grade about the problem of teenage homelessness.

“I think it is our moral and ethical responsibility to do something to make the community and world a better place,” Adams said. “Who better to help young people than other young people.”

After the discussion, students split into groups and individually assembled lunch bags with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, crackers, bananas, and oranges.

“I think it is very impactful to do direct service around our city,” freshman Kelly Cronan said. “It is our duty as a school and community to come together and serve people in need.”

Students passed out approximately 400 lunches in the Tenderloin and Polk Gulch area to the homeless and hungry.

“This day was a great way for our class to bond together and help the greater community at the same time,” Abernethy said.