SkillsUSA Students Hold Donation Drive to Benefit Ronald McDonald House
Superintendent-Director Jill Rossetti and Principal Geoffrey Zini are proud to share that Blue Hills Regional Technical School (BHRTS) SkillsUSA students have completed a successful donation drive for the Ronald McDonald House.
On March 26, the Blue Hills SkillsUSA Leadership team — Ziona Tavares, Thomas Berman, Tia Bain, Phoenix Duggan, Shiyannah Jean-Baptiste, Bernie Foucault, Jackson Schwab, and Aaron Jernigan — and their two advisors, Janice LaVoie and Joann Murphy, traveled to the Ronald McDonald House in Boston to make a significant donation to the organization.
“This was the first time Blue Hills SkillsUSA has done this charity drive,” said SkillsUSA Chapter Adviser LaVoie. “SkillsUSA Students and advisors worked together to plan the logistics of how we could make the most impact in a fun and creative way. After the charity event, the students asked if we could continue this as a yearly tradition. We plan on it!”
Students donated more than 900 items from the Ronald McDonald House wish list, such as bedding, pillows, cleaning supplies, and gift cards, filling the community center’s living room.
“The staff were very warm and welcoming, and it seemed overall that they truly care and are making a difference in people’s lives,” said senior Jackson Schwab, a SkillsUSA Ambassador. “It was very nice to see everything that they do, and I enjoyed talking with them about how the charity worked in general.”
Students were educated on the importance of the Ronald McDonald house, which serves young families receiving treatments at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital.
“They even got to meet a patient who was staying at the house with his mother,” said Adviser LaVoie, Lead Teacher in Blue Hills’ Cosmetology Program. “Overall, it was an impactful charity event for both the students and organization.”
The initiative also included an in-house competition at Blue Hills among vocational programs to see who could donate the most items.
“The program that won the competition was Health Assisting, where they were awarded with the ‘Extra-Large Bear’ to keep,” said LaVoie. “Cosmetology was second and Computer Technology third. Out of the 17 shops, 13 programs participated in the competition.”
SkillsUSA is a workforce development organization for students that works toward inspiring students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members.
“We’re so proud of our SkillsUSA students and advisors, and this amazing donation drive they organized and ran,” said Superintendent-Director Rossetti. “I’m certain that the 900 items they collected will help bring a little cheer to families in their time of need.”
To learn more about SkillsUSA, click here.
On March 26, the Blue Hills SkillsUSA Leadership team and their two advisors traveled to the Ronald McDonald House in Boston to make a significant donation to the organization.
On March 26, the Blue Hills SkillsUSA Leadership team and their two advisors traveled to the Ronald McDonald House in Boston to make a significant donation of 900 items from the organization’s wish list — bedding, pillows, cleaning supplies, gift cards, and more.