Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Alexander Mirabella presented resolutions to members of Team Red from the Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP) congratulating them on winning the Civic Engagement Challenge of 2016 UC STEP.
UC STEP was created to provide high school students the opportunity to develop a countywide community service around a topic they feel is important, while teaching them leadership and personal growth skills and responsibility within their communities.
A total of 195 sophomores and junior high school students from 27 high schools throughout Union County participated in the annual program, which took place in December 2015 at Kean University in Union.
Team Red’s campaign “Garments & Gear – Greatness for Years” won the Civic Engagement Challenge and will be the county-wide community service project undertaken by participating Union County high schools in 2016.
“Garments & Gear – Greatness for Years” will focus on giving less fortunate athletes equipment needed to excel in sports. By collecting items and fundraising to purchase additional supplies, the goal of this program is to give under-privileged athletes the opportunity to play a sport by providing the necessary gear.
Team Red consisted of 15 students from 12 high schools; Anandah Gomez (Barack Obama High School), Erin Readie (Cranford High School), Lindsay Lathrop (David Brearley High School), Ja’Quan Mial (John E. Dwyer Academy), Brendon Joseph Birch (Linden High School), Jasmin Finney-Tillman (Linden High School), Hannah Caminiti (New Providence High School), Jake Canavan (Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School), Taylor Diggs (Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School), Ian MacPherson (Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School), Sheydline Moise (St. Mary’s High School), Shawn Ferreira (UC Vo-Tech High School), Hannah Criollo (Union High School), Marissa Berriios (Roselle Catholic), Jacob Franklin Fopossi Nyemdom (Plainfield High School)
(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)