16 March, 2011

March Celebration

Today we celebrated the young women who have worked unceasingly to help stop child slave labor, and a true Unsung Hero who has been with us and the entire City of Elizabeth blessing people and building peace over the years.

The winners of the Jefferson Volunteer Community Service Awards for the month of March are the SHAC Squad, "Students Helping All Children": Kai Alexander, Kelly Amorim, Michelle Colonia, Norky Diaz, Samantha Frejuste, Shervonne Gittens, Samantha Herrejon, Heidy Isabel, Shana Lugay, Crismeldy Segura, and Anglin Thevarajah. These students have united their hearts with the hearts of children being trafficked for slave labor in the chocolate industry. They have organized an aggressive awareness campaign to advocate for these children who do not have a voice. On behalf of all children, we thank the SHAC Squad for answering the call and taking a stand to make our world a better place.

The second honoree of the Jefferson Award was our beloved Police Officer, Sergeant Mike Jones. Not only is Mike the City of Elizabeth's Peace Pacifist, he is the quiet unseen presence in our school and on the streets reaching out, helping people young and old, touching lives and bringing light and hope into their darkness. Whether it is giving someone a hot meal on a cold winter night, providing an opportunity for a young child to play sports with that new pair of sneakers, helping the elderly get the heat turned back on, or mentoring our students in Peer Mediation, Sergeant Mike Jones is ready to serve with his huge heart! He once shared how he saw every distressed person as Jesus in disguise, in need of a compassionate heart and kindness.