State salutes Saugus student for contributions to community

SAUGUS – Belmonte Middle School eighth-grader Priscilla Geha joined 350 other students from across Massachusetts at the State House last month.Geha was honored for her community service as a part of Project 351, where students from every city and town in Massachusetts spend the day working on various service projects.Geha, a member of the Belmonte Community Service Club, said she guessed she was picked because she “works hard” and has been involved in community service since the sixth grade.”It’s fun and you’re helping people too,” said Geha, 13. “Your friends are doing it and you get to do crafts.”Some of the projects she has worked in include delivering Valentine’s Day cards to the Saugus Senior Center, making pins and bracelets to sell to raise money for Haiti, a food drive and a Teddy Bear drive.On Jan. 26, Geha headed to the State House where she got to see Gov. Deval Patrick deliver a speech. After that she headed to the Greater Boston Food Bank to package food for kids.”It was my first time at the State House,” she said. “It was big and it was a dome too. It was pretty.”Geha’s mom, Claudia Geha, said her daughter was eager to volunteer and always stays after school to help out with projects.”I was proud of her,” she said. “It’s nice for her to be picked from throughout the whole Saugus system.”In her nomination letter, Belmonte Principal Kerry Robbins called Geha “an exemplary eighth-grade service leader” who is an active member of the community service program at the middle school.”Priscilla commits to projects with 100 percent dedication and always follows through with that commitment,” said Robbins. “She participates in all community service activities sponsored by the Belmonte Middle School Community Service Program generously with both her time and effort. Priscilla demonstrates a spirit of service to her community by her willingness to offer her personal time in order to help others, and more importantly always with a smile.”Robbins said the projects in which Geha has participated have impacted not only the school and town, but the “worldwide community” as well, and called Geha “pleasant, poised and a pleasure to work with each day.””Priscilla is a kind and generous person,” she said. “She accepts positions of responsibility on the community service team with ease. She is a natural leader. She works well in any group and is always willing to help any way she can. Her participation in this program demonstrates her compassion and commitment to others.”Robbins also noted that Geha is an honor roll student.”Priscilla Geha would be exactly what Project 351 is looking for, someone who takes great pride in what they do and clearly enjoys it as well,” said Robbins.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].