Pentucket ambassadors make the most of Project 351

Jun. 15—WEST NEWBURY — Despite most of their trainings and programming taking place over Zoom due to COVID-19 concerns, this year's Project 351 ambassadors from Pentucket Regional Middle School are feeling empowered through service leadership.

The 2020-21 ambassadors from Pentucket include Maeve Lucey and Emily Haas from West Newbury, Mia Bartholomew from Merrimac and Nina Gordon from Groveland.

Project 351 is a Massachusetts-based program, created by then-Gov. Deval Patrick in 2011, which started as a national day of service, coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The one-day event was so successful, the state made it a yearlong program in 2012.

Every year, teachers from the state's 351 communities nominate an eighth-grader for the program, which typically begins at the end of January and continues into the following December.

"I don't think I was expecting to get nominated," Lucey said, noting that both she and Haas are members of the middle school's community service club, but figured another girl would have been the one to be nominated.

Though shocked to be selected, Lucey was "so honored to be apart of something like this."

Bartholomew said similarly of when she found out she was nominated, saying "I was really surprised."

"I felt really honored," Gordon said.

Project 351 ambassadors participate in variety of service opportunities including a spring event in which they organize a clothing drive to benefit Cradles to Crayons, a Boston-based nonprofit that provides school supplies and clothing to homeless and low-income children.

Bartholomew filled two large boxes of clothing for the nonprofit through her clothing drive.

Gordon and Haas worked together to collect donations at the middle school. They even created videos for the morning announcements.

"I don't really like to be the center of attention, so to make a video and to have everyone watch it — I was so nervous," Haas said.

The videos received positive feedback though and resulted in the two girls filling a few dozen trash bags with clothing to be donated to Cradles to Crayons and some secondary locations, as well.

"When I was looking at all the clothing I was piling up in the hallways, it was just so exciting to know that I was behind that," Haas said.

Lucey organized her drive at Dr. John C. Page Elementary School. Due to a slow start and the impact of the pandemic, her donations ended up going to a secondary nonprofit rather than Cradles to Crayons. Regardless, the experience gave her a sense of fulfillment.

"I'm so excited to be apart of Project 351," she said.

"I've found that Project 351, so far, has been a great experience because it shows us kids that anyone can be a hero," Gordon said.

When asked what qualities she thinks a strong leader should have, Bartholomew said it's important to be "brave" and "passionate."

"To be a good leader, you need to do what other people aren't willing to do," Haas said, noting that she had to put herself out there when asking her fellow peers for clothing donations.

Lucey said she is still learning, but believes a strong leader is someone who keeps an open mind and welcomes other people's ideas and opinions.

"I don't think you necessarily have to have good grades because anyone can really make a difference," Gordon said. "I think everyone has a capability of making a difference, it just needs to be shown to you that you can do it."

For more information on Project 351, visit https://project351.org.