The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Students preparing for service, leadership project
Lake, Geauga students gather for team-building activities
A group of about 42 Lake and Geauga high school students got an opportunity to learn more about each other and their communities during the 2018-19 Service and Leadership Engagement for Students meeting.
The students participated in team-building activities and heard from a panel of community leaders on Sept. 18 at Geauga Park District’s Claridon Woodlands in Claridon Township.
The mission of SALES is to provide an educational experience for high school students that allows them to explore local issues that impact them and their community, as well as how these issues fit into the larger context of the state of Ohio.
Riverside Schools Director of Curriculum Melissa Mlakar, Wickliffe Schools Director of Strategic Innovation Julie Ramos and Wickliffe Schools Superintendent Joseph Spiccia are leading the project.
The students who participate in Project SALES will engage in a five-day service trip to Jonesville, Virginia, facilitated by the Appalachian Service Project, Spiccia said.
They will also participate in five days of leadership development and project planning.
Several officials from Lake and Geauga counties were on hand to give the students information about the challenges of the two counties, while sharing possible ways they can get involved.
United Way of Geauga County Executive Director Kimm Leininger said one out of three households in Geauga County is struggling to make ends meet and United Way of Geauga County implemented a strategic plan that
focuses on self-sufficiency.
Meanwhile, Lake County is concerned about the need for more skilled workers in manufacturing careers, said United Way of Lake County Executive Director Jennifer McCarty. If manufacturing jobs are not filled and businesses leave, it will impact the economy significantly.
Aside from socioeconomic concerns, topics including the opioid epidemic, homelessness and domestic violence were also discussed.
It was emphasized that every service effort and simple act of kindness can make a difference in the community.
This meeting got the students thinking about ways they can get involved and the next meeting in October will focus on developing a local service project plan, Mlakar said.
As part of Project SALES, students will develop and implement a service-learning project in their community, gain knowledge of community agencies and develop leadership skills.