PROJECT 351 AMBASSADORS, from left, LHS freshman Ereeny Georges, LMS eighth-grader Lindsay Squadrito and LHS sophomore Paige Martino told the School Committee last week that volunteering for the nonprofit organization has been incredibly rewarding. (Dan Tomasello Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Three Project 351 ambassadors told the School Committee on Feb. 7 that volunteering with the nonprofit organization has allowed them to help create positive change in the commonwealth.
Lynnfield Middle School eighth-grader Lindsay Squadrito, Lynnfield High School freshman Ereeny Georges and LHS sophomore Paige Martino have served as the middle school’s last three Project 351 ambassadors. Middle School Principal Stephen Ralston recalled that former Gov. Deval Patrick and Project 351 Founder/Executive Director Carolyn Casey launched the nonprofit organization in 2011 to give students the opportunity to get involved with community service, civic engagement and leadership development initiatives over the course of a year.
“Project 351 has continued with former Gov. Charlie Baker and now Gov. Maura Healey,” said Ralston. “This is a celebration of statewide unity and youth leadership. Project 351 has a big kickoff with a day of service with eighth-graders from each of the 351 communities in the commonwealth.”
Lindsay participated in Project 351’s Launch Day last month.
“Launch Day is a large celebration and a day of service,” said Lindsay. “Three-hundred-and-fifty-one ambassadors, one from each Massachusetts community, along with Project 351 alumni participated. The alumni told us about their experiences, and how it affected them. The alumni continued their service after their ambassador year.”
Lindsay said each ambassador received a shirt during Launch Day.
“It included the slogan, ‘Embrace hope, embrace love, embrace unity’ on the back of it,” said Lindsay. “It was a big moment when we all put our shirts on and we officially became ambassadors.”
After Launch Day’s opening ceremony concluded at Faneuil Hall, Lindsay said the ambassadors were broken up into groups and volunteered at different locations.
“Some ambassadors put mental health and hygiene kits together for shelters,” said Lindsay. “Some ambassadors sorted through donated clothes for families who have clothing insecurity. My group made blankets for patients. Altogether in three hours, the ambassadors impacted 6,152 lives, not including our own. It was really cool and very inspiring to see in such a short amount of time how many lives we impacted. It was very humbling, and I was honored to be part of it.”
Lynnfield High School freshman Ereeny Georges served as the middle school’s Project 351 ambassador last year.
“I recently finished my ambassador year,” said Ereeny. “I built so many new relationships through Project 351. I met so many new people who have the same mindset. The people there are loving, compassionate and really understand the goals that we have for other people and service in general.”
Ereeny has undertaken three different service projects on behalf of Project 351.
“I held a clothing drive for my spring service project,” said Ereeny. “I held a service project commemorating 9/11, where I handed out letters to veterans who served. I recently finished a fall food drive. I worked closely with Lindsay at the middle school, and we collected 600 food items for Citizens Inn Haven from Hunger in Peabody. We sorted through the food items that were donated at the middle school with other students. It was so much fun.”
Ereeny and her friends brought the donations to Citizens Inn in Peabody.
“We served dinner there, which was such a humbling experience,” said Ereeny. “It really opened my eyes and showed me why I was collecting food. It showed me the meaning behind all of the service projects. The service projects are such an amazing opportunity that we have. It was a really cool experience.”
LHS sophomore Paige Martino served as the middle school’s Project 351 ambassador in 2021. She thanked the School Committee for allowing her, Ereeny and Lindsay to give an overview of the initiatives they have undertaken with the nonprofit organization.
“I have been working for Project 351 for the past three years,” said Martino. “I want to thank Mr. Ralston for giving me this opportunity. I have grown so much as a person because I have been a part of this. Project 351’s founder Carolyn Casey is amazing. She is such an inspiring woman.”
Paige said Project 351 “helps develop new generations of leaders” by having ambassadors undertake community service projects that help people in need.
“The ambassadors represent the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, and they are supported by their hometown educators,” said Martino. “We believe in positive change, having a deep awareness of critical issues and fostering community values. Project 351 focuses on hope, unity and gratitude, which are three important things that we need to instill in ourselves and the people around us. Starting with a young person is so important because it makes it so inclusive and, hopefully, more global.”
Paige noted that she has undertaken a spring service collection drive for Cradles to Crayons, a service project commemorating 9/11 and a food drive twice.
“I am amazed at the impact it has had,” said Paige. “I am so grateful to be part of it.”
Paige has also gotten involved with the Playbook Initiative, which is a partnership between the Boston Celtics and Project 351. The Playbook Initiative is an anti-discrimination and bias-prevention program.
“Their goal is to take the power of sport and the power of service to combine those into leadership for children,” said Paige. “The program brings children from vastly different backgrounds together. The program features workshops on how to discuss topics such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, culture, disability and orientation. My goal as a trainer is to start workshops within our schools on how to have those discussions because, if we obviously can’t talk about them, we can’t make change. It’s not required, but it is very important. I helped create this year’s playbook, which has about 30 different scenarios that discusses uncomfortable situations. Instead of being a bystander, it encourages students to be upstanders and face a situation head-on. I hope that by studying the playbook, either individually or in large or small groups, students will be more equipped to intervene and prevent injustice.”
Chair Rich Sjoberg was blown away by the comprehensive presentation Lindsay, Ereeny and Paige gave to the School Committee.
“Wow,” said Sjoberg. “I always love this presentation each year because it shows the quality and the caliber of the students that we have at the middle school and the high school. What you are doing is not only impacting people’s lives in a positive way, but it also affects you. Young ladies such as you give us hope for the future. You should all be very proud of yourselves.”
School Committee member Jamie Hayman encouraged the three ambassadors to reach out to the board, Ralston, High School Principal Bob Cleary and Superintendent Kristen Vogel if they need to raise awareness about the different fundraisers they are undertaking.
“Make us aware of it and we will help you get the word out so you can continue the great work that you are doing,” said Hayman.
