Hudson -- In the next seven weeks, four teens will work on projects to help the community.
Junior Leadership Hudson, which itself began as a class project of the 2008-09 Leadership Hudson group, teaches high school students from Hudson High School and Western Reserve Academy about government, business, economic development, philanthropy, health and human services, education, leadership and quality of life.
Each class proposes a project for the city of Hudson.
"What would you do with $100 to better your community?" asked Megan Lee, a member of Junior Leadership Hudson.
This year's class developed the community project, "100 for Hudson," and asked students from Hudson High School and Western Reserve Academy to develop proposals for improving Hudson with only $100. They cannot supplement the $100 but can ask for in-kind services.
"100 for Hudson gives back to the community," said Chuck Wiedie, Hudson Economic Development Director and a member of Leadership Hudson's 2008-09 class. "We're excited to see the projects come together."
Wiedie said there were 14 submissions, which were narrowed down to four announced Feb. 28 at the Murdough Athletic Center of WRA. Each team was given $100 and seven weeks to complete their proposed project.
Junior Leadership Hudson members were assigned to each project to help keep the teams on schedule and report on progress. Teams must report on how much of the $100 they have spent and if they have received any in-kind services, any publicity, etc.
"The four projects are very different but all of them in some way help a part of the community," Wiedie said.
Each team received $100 and can start to raise in-kind services, Wiedie said.
Hudson High School sophomore Andrew Schulman proposed a special needs bowling event for his community project. Andrew said his idea was a bowling event for kids with disabilities.
"They usually interact with adults but this would allow them to interact with kids their own age," Andrew said.
Junior Leadership members Jenna Bouquot, Jackson Fitch and Abbey Griffith will be his mentors to encourage him.
Hudson High School senior Ben Tiemann proposed a Hudson History Walk for his community project.
Ben said his idea came from kids being bored while their parents shopped downtown.
"I like history, and I wanted to incorporate Hudson history with the downtown," Ben said.
His project involves placing facts about Hudson history in different shop windows and providing kids with a worksheet to find the answers and redeem it for ice cream or a prize.
"It will encourage kids to learn about Hudson while parents support Hudson's economy," Ben said.
Junior leadership members Peyton Brown and Ryan Stifler will help his team.
Western Reserve Academy sophomore Catherine Berry proposed a Hudson Iditarod or dog sled race.
The race would be with decorated grocery carts and the race would be to fill the cart with canned goods and race through a downtown obstacle course, Catherine said.
Junior Leadership Hudson members Megan Lee and Mitch Polock will guide her.
Hudson High School sophomore Shilah Kidd proposed a teen hangout for her community project.
"Hudson has no place for teens to gather," Shilah said. "We can't go to a restaurant because all the adults are there."
Her projects would locate a place where teens could meet a couple of times a month and just relax.
Junior Leadership members Akeyla Jordan, Hasan Mutlu and Ashley Reed will assist her team.
Junior Leadership members Noah Stupica, Miles Van Blarcum and Zoe Leciejewski are on the culminating event committee, and Abbey Hermosilla, Maddie Ricard and Alena Nichols are working on publicity.
The deadline for the projects is April 19 when the top two projects will receive prizes.
The Junior Leadership Hudson students were able to raise this seed-funding from several local organizations and Hudson merchants -- Rotary Club of Hudson Clocktower, Hershey's Ice Cream, The Kiwanis Club of Hudson, Destination Hudson, Merchants of Hudson, MJ Lehman of Nicky Nicole and Janet Rhodes of Janet Rhodes brings you Fair Trade.
For more information, go to www.juniorleadershiphudson.org.
Email: lfreeman@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-541-9434
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