Point Loma Teen Leads “MayMatters” Community Service Fundraiser
Left to right are Tayo Rhodes, Trinity Catlin and Jeremiah Kubota.
The School for Entrepreneurship & Technology (SET High) announces “MayMatters,” an inaugural community service and fundraising initiative that encourages social entrepreneurism and assists local charities and their school. Not only do students, their friends, and their family members spend time volunteering, but also raise funds for the organizations as well. It’s a new twist on school fundraising.
SET High students gather sponsors to pledge money for every hour a student works with their charity of choice. Family and friends are encouraged to join in on the service projects as well. Half of the funds raised go toward the charity, and the other half goes to SET High, to support the school’s innovative programs.
SET High’s MayMatters effort is a collaboration between students and staff. The charities were chosen through a competitive process by a student committee.
“This is the first year of MayMatters, and I’ve enjoyed being involved very early in the decision-making process to assist with the campaign logo as well as co-present during the MayMatters showcase where students got to meet each charity,” said Trinity Catlin, freshman at SET High who is also a resident of Point Loma. Trinity and her mother Lisa are team leads to support the project with Reins Equestrian Therapy.
Another student, Jeremiah Kubota, who along with his mother Kathleen, is leading the effort to assist the Frosted Faces Foundation, adds, “Helping to build and launch the first-ever MayMatters campaign at SET High has taught me a lot about how to produce an event, stay on track and organize a group around a common cause. This campaign has sparked my interest in philanthropy.”
Skills learned by students will set them up for life. “The MayMatters initiative aims to address the needs of our community as well as encourage SET High students to develop mutual trust and respect with the charities of their choice,” says Neil McCurdy, Ph.D., chief educational officer and principal, SET High. “These are key qualities successful social entrepreneurs should have and SET High strives to cultivate these characteristics with our students to prepare them for the future with new traditions like MayMatters.”
Service days where SET High students work in the community were May 12, May 19, and May 20. A school-wide celebration was held in mid-May to commemorate the initiative.
“Through MayMatters, we continue SET High’s mission to build socially responsible students and community members,” said Sofia Zambalis-Lowenstein, english department chair at SET High.
“Whether it’s volunteering with a local charity or creating sustainable solutions for community challenges like homelessness, school safety, or human trafficking, we hope to better prepare our students for the workforce by developing their interests now to contribute effectively to the community in the future.”
Based in San Diego, Calif., SET High is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). To learn more, please call (858) 874-4338 or visit www.sethigh.org.
Category: Education, Events, Local News
