May 1, 2014 3 min read

Trinity High School won second place for outstanding service in 2013-14 at the Pittsburgh regional competition of the Jefferson Awards-Deloitte Students in Action program.

Trinity was recognized for its yearlong campaign to raise money for local charities.

Every month, students at the high school would organize a project, which included Stunting for a Cause, which raised $1,700 for Domestic Violence of Southwestern Pennsylania, and making chocolate hearts at Country Confections, a gourmet chocolate and candy store, and selling them to raise $550 for the American Heart Association. The students also collaborated with Goodwill, and the school district donated old computer equipment to the organization, which recycled the equipment to raise money.

The competition was judged by Charlie Batch, former quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and founder of Best of the Batch Foundation; Shari Payne, dean of engaged learning at Robert Morris University; Leigh Pindroh, marketing services supervisor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; and Dr. Patricia DiRienzo, curriculum and continuing professional education coordinator at Allegheny Intermediate Unit.

Trinity students Marlee Debolt, Sami Golaski, Mallory Rogers and Sarah Smith made the presentation to the judges.

“The goal of doing this is to get kids to learn to care for other people and to teach them to be leaders who can encourage other kids to help people,” said Mary Ann Berty, a teacher at Trinity High School who sponsored the yearlong program. “Kids don’t understand the power they have if they sit down and say, ‘OK, I’m going to do this.’ Every person needs to understand that they can make a difference in someone’s life. We wanted to make a difference in Washington County and be game-changers.”

Shaler High School was selected as the Pittsburgh regional recipient for showcasing the program’s goals in the Students in Action program, and for their outstanding philanthropic contributions to their community and school, and will represent the Pittsburgh/Southwestern Pennsylvania region at the Jefferson Awards National Ceremony and Gala Event in Washington, D.C., in June.

Trinity won a Silver Banner for its service project.

In all, students from the 19 schools who participated in the Jefferson Awards High Schools of the Pittsburgh region accounted for nearly 17,000 community service hours which represents more than $380,521 of financial impact to the community. They also raised $231,583 for their causes through fundraising events, donations and grants.

The Jefferson Awards for Public Service was founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sen. Robert Taft Jr., and Sam Beard to create a Nobel Prize for public and community service. The mission of the Jefferson Awards is to honor Americans who have performed outstanding public service and to inspire others to follow their example.