Raising recognition

| High school students show appreciation and support for veterans

Addison Trail Veterans Support Organization (ATVSO) is a club dedicated to providing events, service, and support for veterans local to the Addison Trail High School community. This club was started at the end of last school year when now senior, Miabella DiGrazia, approached social studies teacher LeVonne CescoliniBoyer to start a club that supports and impacts America in a positive way.

“I was so proud that Miabella approached me and wanted to do something for our veterans. It’s so exciting to see the next generation wanting to show their patriotism and support to our veterans,” says Cescolini-Boyer.

From there, the process began to make ATVSO an official club. In the club, the students do a variety of activities such as Kiwanis Peanut Day, a Veterans Day Luncheon hosted at Addison Trail, volunteering at the local VFW Post 7446, collecting aluminum can tabs on behalf of the Addison VFW Post for donation to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, assisting in Veteran recognition in all of Addison, and planning to kickstart Flags for Addison as modeled by the already existing Flags for Roselle. The club will be placing American flags in participating residents’ yards on five separate

national holidays in exchange for a $50 donation. Cescolini-Boyer participates in Flags for Roselle and has been inspired by its effort to bring the same mission to the community of Addison.

In addition to volunteering at the Addison VFW, the club members are looking to find ways to support veterans throughout the school year. In order to create these opportunities, they just finished holding a T-shirt fundraiser to raise money for the club.

Not only is this club designated to help the local veterans, but it is in the early stages of sending future students to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials, experience the nation’s capital, and witness in-person future presidential inaugurations.

ATVSO is currently run by students Miabella DiGrazia (president), Angela Stathopoulos (vice president), and Annie Olsen (secretary).They have been working closely with Cescolini-Boyer, VFW Post 7446 leaders, and Addison Trail students and staff to implement the club’s mission throughout the community.

(Photo courtesy of Addison Trail High School) From left: Students Annie Olsen, Angela Stathopoulos and Miabella DiGrazia run the Addison Trail Veterans Support Organization club at Addison Trail High School. The club’s main focus is to show support for local veterans through service and to host different events, with future plans to increase civic particpation for students through trips to the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.