“Garments & Gear – Greatness for Years”
Wins the UC STEP Civic Engagement Challenge

Union County County Commissioners 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)

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.

Come and “STEP Up” to Help Students Help Each Other

All of Union County is invited to help high school students with a new student-created civic campaign this year called “Garments & Gear – Greatness for Years.” The campaign is aimed at helping ensure that all student athletes can obtain the necessary equipment and clothing, regardless of their financial situation.

Garments & Gear was developed by high school students participating in UC STEP, the Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program, an initiative of the Union County County Commissioners.

“This exemplary civic campaign will help ensure that finances are no obstacle to students who want to engage in school sports with their friends and classmates,” said County Commissioner Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “It’s a great way to show that the Union County community respects and supports all young people who desire to work hard and excel.”

In the Garments & Gear campaign, high school students from across Union County will collect new and gently used sports equipment and clothing, raise funds by selling Garments & Gear merchandise, and reach out to the community for additional donations.

“Garments & Gear really demonstrates the value of having students brainstorm on civic projects,” said County Commissioner Linda Carter, who conceived and launched the first UC STEP during her term as Chairman in 2013. “These young people recognized a significant need among their peers, and they envisioned how we can all step up together and pitch in.”
UC STEP is an annual youth development seminar and civic engagement project for high school juniors and seniors. This year’s UC STEP seminar was held in December with the participation of 195 students from 27 public, private and charter schools throughout Union County.

Each year, the highlight of the UC STEP seminar is the creation of original civic engagement campaigns by teams of student from different schools, working together for the first time. One of the campaigns is ultimately selected as a countywide project supported by the County Commissioner Board. Garments & Gear was created by “Team Red,” consisting of 15 members from 12 schools.

Participating in the Garments & Gear campaign this spring are schools that were also represented on Team Red, including Cranford High School, David Brearley High School, John E. Dwyer Academy, Linden High School, New Providence High School, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, St. Mary’s High School, UC Vo-Tech High School, Union High School, Roselle Catholic High School, and Plainfield High School.

Governor Livingston High School, Union County TEAMS Charter School, Rahway High School, and Jonathan Dayton are also participating in the campaign.

Union County residents, businesses, organizations and local agencies can participate in Garments & Gear by bringing donations of new or gently used clothing and equipment to drop-off sites, listed on the County website at ucnj.org/uc-step.

Garments and Gear – Winners of the Start Now Grant

Union County County Commissioners Linda Carter and Alexander Mirabella present resolutions and checks to students and educators from New Providence High School and John E. Dwyer Technology Academy in Elizabeth in honor of the two schools winning the 2016 Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP) challenge. They were joined by Union County Economic Development Director Amy Wagner.

The Garments & Gear Campaign–collecting items and funds to provide sports equipment to local students in need–was the county-wide UC STEP community service challenge undertaken by participating Union County high schools in the 2015-2016 school year. The winning schools received grant in the amount of $1,000.00 each.
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.