Denton ISD Our Impact In Your Community Magazine Winter 2015-2016 | Page 13

Josh Correro and Amanda Rye work Matt Alzate, RHS student, volunteers during a peer tutoring session on a profile alongside Aubree Hitchman, a TWU of professional baseball player, Roberto senior health studies major, as they sort Clemente. As part of the BLAST curriculum, mail and deliver to a client at Our Daily students study leaders in several industries Bread. who surpassed extreme hardship to become successful in their field. “BLAST has provided opportunities for our students to gain confidence in their academic skills as well as provide an opportunity for them to grow their leadership and social capacity,” - Vernon Reeves, Ryan High principal have bills to pay – often medical bills – that are a key reason they find themselves without a permanent home. So, their mail comes here and we deliver it during their meal.” Freshman Matt Alzate was assigned mail duty with Aubree Hitchman, a volunteer and senior health studies major at Texas Woman’s University. “The experience was unbelievable,” he said. “At the homeless shelter, I worked harder there than at work,” Matt said. “It was an experience I will never forget. We had to clean out the cooler, mop the oor, clean dishes and put away the food. It was important because people deserve to be treated with dignity and have a clean place to eat.” The volunteer experience for Savannah Figurio had an unexpected benefit. The Ryan High sophomore was assigned to Savannah Figurio works to dispense over-the-counter medication and hygiene supplies to clients from the supply closet at Our Daily Bread. the medicine closet to distribute hygiene products and over-the-counter medication with volunteer Bill Worthington. In between serving clients, Mr. Worthington chatted with Savannah about her goal of becoming an eighth-grade science teacher – something she said she had never shared with anyone. “I was honored to share with her that I retired from teaching after 30 years in Dallas, and I had an incredible career,” Mr. Worthington said. “We need more young people who are bright and have compassion, like Savannah, going into education – it’s more important now than ever.” The program’s ultimate goal is to change perspectives on how students view themselves, those around them, and where they can find their true niche in life. According to the students, teachers and parents, it is already creating results. “BLAST has provided opportunities for our students to gain confidence in their academic skills as well as provide an opportunity for them to grow their leadership and social capacity,” said Mr. Reeves. For more information on Ryan High School, visit www.dentonisd.org/ryanhs For more information on BLAST, contact program coordinators and Ryan High teachers Kathryn McCully-Russell [email protected] or Scott Spaulding at [email protected] For more information on Our Daily Bread and how you may can get involved, visit http://www.ourdailybreaddenton.org 11