Students of Hawthorne High School in the student service organization called Peer Leaders attended an all-day Leadership Conference sponsored by Rotary International in Wyckoff on October 25, 2012. At this conference, high school students from Passaic, Bergen and Hudson counties were informed about the service and volunteer opportunities in the community and worldwide.  Representatives from various aid and charitable organizations offered the students information about opportunities that included global missions, homeless shelters and humanitarian aid organizations. The presenters hoped to open doors for young people that can lead to a lifetime of service. The students were encouraged to either support these organizations personally or bring the information back to their schools to gain support from any of the various service clubs.

Attendee Junior Jacob Meza said, “The day was well worth our time. I learned a lot about the different opportunities that I can take advantage of to better the community and world by helping those in need.” Classmate Conor Gugliotta agreed saying, “The experience opened my mind to help other countries and made me want to go out and make the world a better place.”

Advisor Kelly Clifford brought the group to this event in order to give them an idea of the volunteer opportunities available to young people, thereby showing the students how they can reach out to make a difference in the world.