Service-Oriented Schiffs Tabbed Youth Resources’ August Youth of the Month Recipients
By Jeremy Brown
At Youth Resources, we love to recognize students going above and beyond in the realm of community service. It’s our mission as an organization – building young leaders through civic engagement and community service.
No pair of students reflect the type of service mentality and passion for helping others YR aims to develop than Memorial seniors Mary and Michael Schiff, and that’s why Youth Resources has named the twins as August Youth of the Month recipients.
Michael recently completed a 600-stone walking path rebuild for Memorial students to complete his Eagle Scout project and holds extensive leadership roles within school clubs and Youth Resources. Mary thrusts her leadership skills into action through Memorial’s theatre program, serving at the Soup Kitchen and leading in various capacities through school clubs and YR’s Teen Advisory Council and TEENPOWER programs.
Twins are often lumped together in conversation and thought, but Mary and Michael are distinctly different. Mary won’t hesitate to take initiative and enthusiastically lead large groups, and Michael is just fine sitting behind the scenes offering his analytical perspective to the task at hand. However, they share a significant common denominator beyond genetics: a desire to help others.
“It’s really good to get involved with the community and a good way to give back to the community that built me,” said Michael. “Serving is fun, rewarding and crafting my character to want to do service in the future.”
“Getting into service gives you a different experience than you’ve ever had before,” Mary said. “You’re more aware of the community and its needs. It hones who you are and helps you find out what you are really interested in all whole helping the community at the same time.”
While we happily highlight products of our own programming, the seeds of service were planted by Mary and Michael’s parents by encouraging their service at Holy Rosary Parish, where they’ve served the 7:30 a.m. mass nearly every Sunday since middle school.
Both plan to continue serving in high capacities wherever college takes them next year, and both acknowledged their experiences serving others will have heavy influence on their educational and career paths.
“High school is right now, but service will be forever,” Mary said. “It gives me a plan for my future and an outlook on what I might want to do.”
Mary and Michael’s recognition as 2017-18 Youth of the Month recipients automatically qualifies them as finalists for Youth Resources’ Youth of the Year Award. Youth Resources will name its Youth of the Year at its 24th Annual Hall of Fame Celebration in April 2018.
To nominate a student (5-18) for Youth of the Month, click here.