Service Highlights: Hillman Students in the Spotlight

Students are connected to their communities in so many ways. In April three Hillman students shared their experiences through service opportunities on the Montgomery College campus. Their experiences are highlighted below.

On April 16, Ed-Love Aidoo volunteered for the Rockville Good Deeds Day at the Rockville-Campus packing Comfort Cases and writing letters for the recipients. She partnered with Montgomery College, MCPS, and ACES students in packing over 50 bags and 200 toothbrushes/toothpaste kits to support the youth in foster care and created positive and encouraging messages like “you are important and loved,” “create your own sunshine,” and “you are the best in the whole wide world.” According to Ed-Love,  the highlight of the event was the “Mingle Mingle” section where high school students connected with college students, reporting “Seeing the joy on volunteers’ faces while they packaged hundreds of bags for the kids in foster care made me think about how important a small good deed can make a huge impact in someone else’s life.”

On April 17, Montgomery College hosted a Social Science Expo at the Rockville campus. Leila Gilbert-Rivera served as one of five student panelists at this event, providing insight and advice based on her career and academic paths.  Leila reports, “it was a pleasure to be a part of the Expo where I was able to help other like-minded students with similar career interests and pass on valuable information that I have learned or wish I have learned going through my time at Montgomery College.”

On Monday, April 22, 2019 Loretto McInerney worked with a group of students to mark storm water drains with plaques indicating that anything entering the drain would end up in the Chesapeake Bay and to pick up trash along the main drive through campus. As part of Earth Day on the Montgomery College Germantown Campus. She was surprised to see how much trash there actually was, reporting “we got six bags of trash and recycling material, and we probably didn’t even get half of the litter.” Her lesson: “that with a good team being socially responsible and helping the planet and the community isn’t that hard. Every little thing makes a difference and people notice and appreciate when you do something that will help everyone.”
From all of these students and all of the other Hillman students who have given their time, hearts, and hands to help others in the community, we all applaud you! You are clearly showing others how your determination to make our community a better place is the reason we are all here.