In today’s high school landscape, it is rare to find students who have real initiative out in the real world – not that this is necessarily a bad thing but moreso a sign that we may not have an idea on how to best give back to our communities. Of course, things like volunteering and coaching community sports is always a start, but how exactly can we make a big difference on those around us?

It starts with that magic word: initiative, combined with a keen awareness for what is happening in or near your community. Making a difference is not easy, but it is feasible if you set a reachable goal and move toward it day by day.

Take, for example, senior Emily Adelsberger and her popular Love Your Brother project: a self-organized program that donates school materials to an inner-city school in need. Last year, the project managed to bring in well over $10,000 for Bayard Taylor Elementary School in the form of pencils, calculators, highlighters and other much-needed supplies. However, she does not want her mission to stop there.

“I discovered that community service can be a lot of fun,” said Adelsberger. “And as a result I intend on pursuing a career in communications or public relations, where I can use the skills I have learned from this project for the rest of my life.”

Last year, Emily and her uncle were downtown delivering soda tabs for a drive at Bayard Taylor. Her uncle is friends with then-Principal Drossner, who had to step down following last school year due to a bout with a horrible disease.

“[My uncle] introduced me [to Principal Drossner] and proposed that maybe I could do something to help the school. Not only had BT undergone over $350,000 worth of budget cuts, but Principal Drossner had also been diagnosed with breast cancer. They really needed help,” said Adelsberger.

That was all the inspiration Adelsberger needed. What followed was a crusade filled with outreach, respect, and determination, as well as a Young Hero’s award from the National Liberty Museum.

However, what’s past is past – with such successful beginnings, what is next for the Love Your Brother Project? If one thing is for sure, it’s that Adelsberger is not satisfied to simply rest on her laurels.

“A shocking number of people are content to live in suburbia and ignore [the financial issues inner-city schools face],” challenges Adelsberger. “We are looking for sophomores and juniors to run the project next year, hopefully starting a tradition that will continue long past my graduation. This would entail submitting the annual proposal to Mr. Bartle, distributing boxes, collecting donations and delivering them to Bayard Taylor.”

With the success of last year’s drive now in the rearview mirror, it is now a responsibility of North Penn to not only match, but exceed what we have been able to contribute already. Adelsberger has her sights set on a district wide campaign.

“We will be running the project at a few middle and elementary schools in the district, so if anyone wants to run [the project] at their own past school or help at another school we are doing, they should contact me,” she says. “Or if anyone has an idea and they just don’t know how to get started or make it happen at a school of North Penn’s magnitude, they can also contact me.”

The season of giving is upon us, and it’s high time to show the kids of Bayard Taylor that North Penn and its community will help whenever and however it can.

If you would like to contact Emily Adelsberger to volunteer, you can reach her at [email protected]