Nearly six years ago, Adriana Sclafani and her older sister Marisa started a week-long summer camp for neighborhood children, donating the money they raised to a children’s hospital.
This endeavor turned into an annual event called Kids Giving Back: Chicago. And it’s this practice of “giving back” that earned Adriana, a senior at Maine South High School, a Community Star Award from the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce following a nomination from her school principal, Shawn Messmer.
Q: How do you raise money through Kids Giving Back?
A: We have a yearly summer camp and through that we ask for donations and a registration fee. The first years were weekly camps, so we had a one-week summer camp and the kids would pay a fee to come for two hours a day and that money would be donated to Children’s Memorial Hospital, along with crafts they made. For the last two years it’s been a one-day fundraiser, an open house. We do it from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and people can come whenever they want and make crafts and give donations.
Q: Are you planning to continue this project after you graduate?
A: Yes, I think we are. It’s just been a super fun activity and it brings a bunch of people from the neighborhood together for such a great cause.
Q: You are president of Maine South’s Key Club, a service organization. Is there a project that has been especially enjoyable for you?
A: Being an officer, I felt I needed to step up and create new activities. So we started the Feed My Starving Children activity. We would take a bunch of Key Club members to pack meals that would go to different countries for malnourished children. I was introduced to it by my seventh- and eighth-grade teacher. It was such an eye-opening activity and wonderful organization. To incorporate that into Key Club was a great idea.
Q: Why is volunteering important to you?
A: Just to see people less fortunate than I am and help them out is an amazing activity to do. Through Key Club and giving back, we have opened others’ eyes to all the opportunities there are to volunteer and all the great things we can do for people who are in need.
Q: What are some of your other interests?
A: I play tennis, I like playing guitar and I enjoy running, babysitting and reading.
Q: What are your plans after graduating?
A: I’m not sure. I’ve been applying to colleges and was admitted to some. I’m not sure where I’m going to go, but wherever I go, I’m sure I’ll be involved in volunteering or the Key Club at the school.
—Jennifer Johnson, Pioneer Press
Shout Out is a weekly feature in which we get to know and introduce our readers to their fellow community members and local visitors throughout suburban Chicago. Check out more online at ChicagoTribune.com/ShoutOut.
