By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Marlborough – While high school is a place where students often come face to face with adversity and peer pressure, the student council at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School (AVRTHS) is implementing a program aimed at empowering their peers and promoting a culture of caring and support. It is a community service project which they hope will extend beyond the walls of the school and change the lives of their friends and neighbors.
“Community service is a huge part of what we do as a council,” said President Amy Saunders. “We always find ways to give back to the community and this project gets the community involved with our organization and gets the organization involved in the community by supporting them and showing them that they can do anything they put their mind to.”
According to Saunders, student council members came up with the idea of the “I Pledge To” project collectively and, once it had a direction, everyone jumped on board and gave their opinions and ideas. The project asks students (and the community as a whole) to make a pledge, write it on a piece of poster board, and then have a picture taken while holding it.
Before pitching the idea to the student body, all members of the student council made their own “I Pledge To” signs and had photographs taken. Then, the design and video students collaborated to make a video presentation of all of the pledges.
The student council plans on first premiering the video during lunch, then posting it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Tumblr, and other social media sites.
“We really want to make this big and as we have seen, the Internet is the best way to get anything out there to the world,” said Saunders. “The more viewers, the better the outcome.”
“The goal of the pledge project is to reach out to each and every person in the community and let them know that we are here for them through anything and everything,” Saunders added. “We want to encourage people of all ages to set high standards for themselves and know that they can accomplish anything that they put their mind to.”
Saunders said that she wants to learn how to avoid stressing over the little things that happen and focus on bigger, more positive things. Her pledge reads: “I Pledge To stay strong no matter what life throws at me.”
Anyone wanting to participate in the project can upload pictures to Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook with the hashtag “IPledgeTo.”
“We hope to promote the pledge project everywhere,” said an optimistic Saunders. “Whatever it takes for us to get our video out to the entire community, we are determined to do so, and make a difference.”
AVRHS Student Council officers are: Mr. Ferreer (history and leadership teacher) Teacher/Advisor; Amy Saunders; Jennifer Fortin, vice president; Carly Pusateri, public relations; Maddy Lacure, treasurer, Carol Ortiz, secretary, and Clara Maldonado, reporter.
Student Council members are Frances Ramos, Amanda Alarcon, Immaculate Nyaigoti, Joe Casey, Jennifer Cassavant, Hunter Drake, Melissa Duarte, Luke Moylan, Natalya Eldredge, Adam Rowe, Adam Rowe, Nyssa Mathieu, Katrina Joubert, Susanna Rodriguez, Briana Donnellon, Brian Rucho, Jocie Orangio, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Silva, Rayanne Silva, Sydney Hebert, Ryan Keane, Ariah Miller, Jayson Pusateri, Chelsea Stake, Lexy Pierce, Andre Colleoni Pimenta, Margaret Langa, Hannah Pollan, Gabby DaCosta, Josie Burlingame, Savvy Lacure, Zack May, and Jennifer Moore.