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Students from 22 Towns Work Together to Reduce Hunger in Hartford
(Hartford, CT) Thirty high school students who participate in the Capitol Region Interdistrict Leadership Academy (CRILA) recently packed and delivered more than 10,000 meals to St. Francis Hospital’s Mount Sinai campus.
“One thing that stuck out to me while we were working was that every action we did would help improve someone’s day,” said Jameson Toper, a student at CREC’s Academy of Aerospace and Engineering. “We may never meet that person, but knowing that we may have changed someone’s life with our simple project is a fantastic feeling.”
CRILA is a program for high school juniors and seniors in Greater Hartford, and it is managed by CREC. It aims to provide a forum for students to practice ethical and collaborative leadership through research and community service. Participating students reside in 22 communities and attend 24 high schools in the Greater Hartford area.
The students spent several months planning and organizing their community service project and raised more than $2,500 to support their efforts. On April 23, they met at CREC Discovery Academy in Wethersfield to pack thousands of meals. They then delivered the meals to the Joan C. Dauber Food Bank at St. Francis Hospital.
“Creating and accomplishing our group service project was an experience that I will take with me for the rest of my life,” said Tate Knapp, a student at Wethersfield High School and a leadership academy participant. “It was remarkable that we, as a group, could collaborate to execute such an impactful project.”
This selfless project was made possible because of the program’s commitment to leadership, teambuilding, and service. Last summer, students participated in a week-long formal outdoor leadership program at the Colorado Outward Bound School in Leadville, Colorado, and they learned lessons that they’ve used throughout this school year. The group also meets regularly to develop their leadership and problem-solving skills.
The idea for their community service project came about because the students identified hunger as a major concern in the Hartford community. In March, the students visited the Joan C. Dauber Food Bank to hear from Joan Dauber, its founder, and to learn about the organization’s mission, activities, and major areas of need.
“Food insecurity is a growing problem for many families in our community,” said Dauber. “The food donation from this project will provide much-needed nutritious food for families that are struggling day-to-day to survive.”
