The Keystone Group of Hawthorne and North Haledon is a group of high school student from schools such as Passaic County Tech Institute and our own Hawthorne High School, who likes to help the community. The Keystone group does a variety of things throughout our community. I talked with the Director of the Keystone Group Miss Maggie Kastas, to see what the Keystone Group is.

Clarion Reporter: What exactly is the Keystone Group?

Kastas: Keystone is the national Boys and Girls club movement; it gives teens an opportunity to gain leadership and service skills. It focuses on three core areas: academics, career exploration, and community service. It gives teens an opportunity and a safe place to hang out with their friends during high school night, and we own Friday’s events.

Clarion Reporter: When does the Keystone Group meet?

Kastas: Every Thursday night at the Boys and Girls Club the Keystone Group meets to discuss events and trips that will take place in the following months, along with the National Project. The National Project is something that the Keystone Group does every year. The National Project changes each year, from helping students achieve more in their academic careers, to helping teens come out of their comfort zones, and helping with issues such as bullying.

Clarion Reporter: What are some big events the Keystone Group has done?

Kastas: We have participated in many big events. The Teddy Bear Party, is a big celebration for children with diseases that do not have a cure. Every year, the Keystone group helps out at this party, from setting up, to helping with the games and entertainment, to seeing that all the little kids are enjoying themselves with their families. The Grand Pre is a band competition done during the summer. The Keystone Group helps out with the food stand, selling snacks and refreshments to everyone who comes. Free Throw for AIDS is an event in which people donate money to someone with AIDS, while they shoot baskets. The Keystone supports one of the members and helps him with the rebound shots, even doing some themselves to help donate more! These are just some of the great events we do throughout our year at Keystone.

Clarion Reporter: Any final thoughts?

Kastas: The Keystone Group is more than a group of teenagers that meet up on Thursday night to talk; we are a family, we grow closer to each other as the weeks go by, we become friends with people we never would have talked to in school, we are a family of friends and I’m proud to be a part of that family.