Stepinac High School Graduating Class First To Meet “100 Hours Of Community Service”

June 2, 2009 - PRLog -- When members of Archbishop Stepinac High School’s Class of 2009 receive their diplomas on June 6, they will be the first to have fulfilled an additional new requirement in order to graduate, one that isn’t mandated by the New York State Department of Education—“100 Hours of Community Service.”  The school launched the program last September when each senior was required to volunteer for a local charity or other organization in a concentrated and meaningful way over the course of the school year.

Based on the enthusiasm that the students demonstrated in undertaking their assignments and the many letters of commendation the school received from officials of the charities and other non-profit organizations the seniors  volunteered for, the new program was a success.  Stepinac’s Principal Paul Carty, who developed and directed the initiative, said: “It comes as no surprise that the seniors more than met this new challenge because giving back to the community is such a strong tradition at Stepinac. It’s one that is actively supported by parents, alumni, the faculty and the administration who have set an excellent example for the students.”

He added: “Stepinac believes that taking care of your community is as important to preparing young men to become tomorrow’s leaders as is academic excellence. These seniors are to be congratulated for having made the grade. Their accomplishments are especially impressive because like other high school seniors, they spent much of their time and energies applying for colleges and scholarships and completing the final credits and passing the state exams needed to graduate. Their example will inspire future Stepinac students when they undertake their 100 hours of community service.”

The seniors began their assignments in earnest after being provided guidelines for selecting the charitable and other non-profit organizations they wished to support. “We wanted them to take ownership of the project by identifying the needs of an organization and how best they could help,” Carty stated. Typically, the students chose assisted residences, elementary schools, fire/police stations, parish churches, hospitals and other health care related facilities in their neighborhoods. They put in the 100 hours after school, weekends and when they were on holiday breaks.

Among the activities they performed were helping the homeless, tutoring children, assisting in blood drives, helping EMTs and paramedics on emergency calls as well as removing graffiti from a public park. In addition, they met weekly as a group in a class led by Mr. Carty where they shared their experiences and discussed the impact community service was having on their lives. They were also required to write an essay.  “Our goal was to make this extended volunteer service a journey of discovery for the students about society and to provide them with an opportunity to deepen their spiritual lives through the act of giving.”
Carty noted that the new community service requirement began just as the severe recession started to unfold.  “I think the impact of the economy on their families, neighbors and on the charities they were helping deepened the seniors’ appreciation about the critical need for helping their communities and people of need,” Carty stated.
In addition to the 100 hours, the seniors joined other Stepinac students in organizing the school’s annual holiday toy drive to benefit Cardinal McCloskey Services, White Plains. They also helped collect more than 250 winter coats for the Salvation Army’s White Plains Community Center—the largest drive of its kind ever conducted to benefit the local charity—and participated in other drives for the needy as well.

Following are highlights of letters the school received commending the seniors for their volunteer work:
•   Nicholas Vetrano of Sleepy Hollow volunteered for the Sleepy Hollow Ambulance Corps. Captain James Hayes wrote: “Nicholas is an asset to the community who has demonstrated great character and maturity.”
•   James Bodden of Yonkers contributed his time to Sunrise Senior Living, Yonkers. Victoria Vanderberg, Activities and Volunteer Coordinator, said: “Working with seniors is not an easy task for many young people. However, James has proven that with a kind smile, soft words and a warm heart, anything is possible.”
•   Michael O’Shea of Hartsdale worked for a number of charitable organizations including Sacred Heart Church, Hartsdale, where he served as a blood drive volunteer. Christine M. Foran, Manager of Corporate and Community Relations, Hudson Valley Blood Services, wrote: “Michael was one of the few students old enough to help donors walk after giving blood. He was polite, engaged and a pleasure to work with.”
•   Nicholas P. Pomponio of Larchmont completed his hours for the Larchmont Fire Department. Chief Richard Heine said: “Nicholas participated in public safety demonstrations, assisted in blood drives and other community events…he was a pleasure to work with and should proud of his effort and contribution to the fire department.”
•   Peter Tacinelli of the Bronx volunteered for the St. Martin of Tours School, Bronx. Christine Altschuler, coordinator of the after school program, said: “He assisted children with their homework assignments and supervised snack and playtime. He was responsible and a pleasure to have working in our program.”
•   Steven Yankowski of Tuckahoe contributed hours to the Village of Larchmont’s Police Department. Sergeant Margaret Belles wrote: “As a Law Enforcement Cadet, Steven contributed a great deal to our program. He has great character and dedication and I would highly recommend him for any endeavor which he chose to pursue.”
•   Kevin Chambers of the Bronx volunteered for the office of New York City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell. Mr. Koppell wrote: “Kevin has a great interest in public service and a strong work ethic. I was pleased to have him as part of my team and hope that he will continue in this endeavor.”

# # #

Founded in 1948, Archbishop Stepinac High School’s mission is to offer young men a highly competitive academic and extracurricular program that will prepare them for college and leadership roles. The faculty and staff accomplish these objectives by pursuing excellence and creating a supportive, disciplined atmosphere with a strong sense of camaraderie and Christian values that are unique to the Stepinac experience. For more information on Stepinac High School please visit www.stepinac.org.