By Nichole Smith
MVA Upper School students volunteered with the Habitat for Humanity Youth Impact Project to paint and repair the exterior of the home of an elderly man in Groveland. These projects are explicitly designated for high school students. If the student is under 18, certain restrictions apply to their participation in the project, such as the types of tools they can use, how high they are allowed to climb the ladder, etc.
For this project, a site manager from Habitat from Humanity gave our students a lesson on ladder safety and proper paintbrush techniques before the work began. Divan Eksteen, a 10th-grade golf team member, said, “The first time Mr. Wilson stepped out of his house, he looked pleased that we were there to help paint. The look on his face when we finished painting was nice to see because of how happy he was. Mr. Wilson appreciated the work that we did, and he even provided us with snacks and drinks for the time that we were painting.” The gentleman said, “It’s not much but I wanted to say thank you for the work you’re doing.”
“Having the opportunity to help someone in need with my peers was extremely rewarding,” said SGA Senior Class Vice President Alexa Cazenave. “And knowing that our efforts could make a difference excites me for future service projects.”
Shayan Hedayati, a 10th grader at MVA, said, “I had an amazing time working on the house. We all worked hard out there, and it was all worth it when I saw Mr. Wilson’s smile.”
