Blake Middle School's Andrea Nevins Named Project 351 Student Ambassador

Andrea Nevins, a eighth graders, was one of over 250 students selected by Governor Deval Patrick to represent the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns as part of the second annual day of service for Project 351.

The students will meet this Saturday, Jan. 14 for a second annual day of service. These student “ambassadors” from across Massachusetts will meet to volunteer and celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr as part of Project 351.

Launched during Patrick’s inaugural in 2010, Project 351 is dedicated to celebrating youth leadership and inspiring the ethic of service.

Patrick will again host a Youth Town Meeting this year, before the young people fan out to service sites across Boston including, Cradles to Crayons, the Greater Boston Food Bank, the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Towers. The day will conclude at the State House, where the ambassadors and the Governor will reflect on the day and celebrate the legacy of Dr. King.

The young people participating were all nominated by education leaders in their hometowns, based on their exemplary service ethic and spirit of generosity.

Jan. 14 will also serve as the launch of Project 351, a new, independent non-profit dedicated to continuing youth leadership in the Commonwealth through dedication to service of an annual class of ambassadors. Patrick will serve as Project 351's honorary chair.

 “Project 351 will support and create opportunities for the eighth grade ambassadors’ continued service, by providing tools, enrichment and connection to a community of their peers,” said Carolyn Casey, executive director of Project 351. “We will work to ensure that young leaders from across the Commonwealth have the greatest potential to make a difference in their communities.”

Last year’s day of service impacted over 10,000 children facing economic challenges in the areas of nutrition, early childhood health and development and education and motivated the ambassadors who took part.

Last January, Medfield's Kristin Buscone participated in Patrick's community service initiative and the experience inspired her to create a similar project for Medfield students.

"It was a very inspirational and eye-opening experience; I already have ideas to share with my school about community service,” Buscone told Theresa Knapp in a Feb. 7, 2011 Medfield Patch article. “I thought we could choose a sister school like Blackstone Elementary, we could raise money for them, go visit them, and maybe paint murals, make blankets, and some of the other things we did that day.”

To read the full story of Buscone's experience,