On Friday, Sept. 8, three students from Windham’s REAL School went to Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, for more than popcorn and crackerjacks.
Jesse Ring, Joe McNerney, and John Sloan were chosen by the staff members of the school to work with Volunteers of America and the Youth Action League. They are participating in a program directed toward building positive leadership qualities and the promotion of community volunteering.
As one of eight schools in Maine to participate in this program, The REAL School traveled to Fenway to meet with Jason Veritek and Alex Cora, of the Boston Red Sox, who helped them build positive problem-solving and leadership skills.
The Red Sox players encouraged the youths to get active in their communities, stating that they have as much potential to evoke community awareness and change as they do. After several team building and leadership activities organized by a member of Dale Carnegie Training, the ballplayers urged them to make a difference, to go home and volunteer.
Jesse Ring took the time to share his thoughts on the experience. When asked what he thought was the best part of the experience, he had two answers.
“Meeting the Red Sox, and touring Fenway,” Ring said. “And meeting people from other groups.”
Upon arrival, the groups were split up, chaperones and all, and scattered among other kids from other schools in other regions. All of that other-ness was designed at forcing the youths to quickly acclimate to a new social environment.
Returned, these three students are to be “team captains,” organizing the rest of the students and community of The REAL School, and focusing that energy toward a goal.
Rich Meserve, a faculty member at the school, is working with the three to help focus their efforts onto specific goals.
“Right now, we’re looking to see what we want to focus on. There’s so much out there,” Meserve said. “One of the things we’re looking at is helping the Volunteers of America distribute some 45,000 books into Maine communities, such as shelter homes, town libraries, etc…”
This spring, the students will join the Red Sox again at Fenway to share their experiences with the other kids they met and trained with. That day, they will meet on the field prior to the game, see their faces on the big Jumbotron, and for many of them, see their first major league baseball game as members of the crowd.
Boston Red Sox players Jason Varitek and Alex Cora speak about the virtues of volunteering to students from Maine and elsewhere.Send questions/comments to the editors.
