LYNN — In a heartfelt celebration of service and compassion, students from Lynn Vocational Technical Institute’s SkillsUSA chapter hosted a unique appreciation event recognizing local residents and organizations dedicated to fighting food insecurity across the city.
“Good morning, everyone. I’m so excited to be with you all today,” said senior Dana Hurley, addressing a room filled with volunteers, educators, and community leaders. “Today, we’re here to celebrate an important topic: appreciation.”
Hurley, a senior in the Health Technology and Assisting Program and chapter president, explained that SkillsUSA is “a national organization that focuses on three topics: community service, leadership, and competition.” Each year, the chapter selects a focus area impacting the local community. This year, students chose not only to address food insecurity but to honor those working tirelessly to combat it.
“We are here to thank you for all your hard work and your dedicated countless hours to the Lynn community,” Hurley said. “On behalf of our chapter, thank you for the difference you made.”
The event brought together volunteers from organizations such as My Brother’s Table, school-based food pantries, and local churches. Rather than a traditional awards ceremony, students designed an interactive and personal experience centered around what they called “security boxes,” transforming appreciation into something tangible and lasting.
Throughout the school year, SkillsUSA students immersed themselves in hands-on community work. They volunteered with My Brother’s Table, supported the food pantry and community closet at Washington Elementary School, and donated to St. Stephen’s food pantry. In addition, they created a community kitchen within the school to help feed fellow students in need.
The event itself was months in the making. According to chapter president Dana Hurley, planning began last September.
“We did food insecurity last year. We wanted to do it again. But we were like, we need to appreciate the people that do it,” she said.
At the center of the event was a concept students spent months developing: the “security box.”
Originally imagined as memory boxes, the idea evolved into something more meaningful.
“Originally, we were calling these boxes memory boxes,” Hurley explained. “But then… they’re (the honorees) doing food insecurity, so to be a security box… they’re security for insecurity.”
Handcrafted by students in Lynn Tech’s carpentry program, the wooden boxes were designed not just as keepsakes, but as symbols of stability, care, and impact. Rather than simply handing them out, SkillsUSA members worked side-by-side with the honorees to sand and stain the boxes together, creating a shared, hands-on experience that reflected the spirit of the work being celebrated.
“The security box is meant to capture the moments where your work has helped to sustain… insecurity with security,” said Vice President Bryan Belloso.
Each attendee received two boxes, one to keep and one to pass along to another community member making a difference. The chapter said the goal was to extend recognition beyond the room and ensure that more unsung contributors are acknowledged.
Inside the boxes, recipients placed their first item: an engraved award created by students in the school’s manufacturing program reading, “In appreciation for all you give to feed others.” Guests later gathered for a catered breakfast and an award ceremony, continuing the theme of reflection and gratitude.
Among those honored was Steven Switzer, a parishioner at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, who volunteers weekly at its food pantry.
“We probably hand out about 160 bags of food every Friday,” he said. “I feel grateful. I am very grateful. We don’t do it for… glory. It’s part of our mission.”
At Washington Elementary School, staff member Katherine Rowe described the scope of their efforts.
“We serve between 150 (and) 200 families a month,” she said, noting the critical role student volunteers play. “They… organize it, put it in bags, prep it, so that our families just come right up after school, grab a bag.”
Rowe called the students “a huge asset” and emphasized the importance of collaboration.
“It takes the village… so we want to get things done,” she said.
She added that seeing students give their time has inspired families to get involved as well, creating a ripple effect throughout the community.
Carole Conway, a life skills teacher at Lynn Tech, was also recognized for her ongoing volunteer work with multiple food pantries in the area, highlighting the deep connection between the school’s staff and community service efforts.
Dianne Kuzia Hills, executive director of My Brother’s Table, said the recognition could just as easily have gone the other way.
“I feel like you should be acknowledging them,” she said of the students. “They do so much… They help us a lot.”
Kuzia Hills described how students consistently show up to volunteer, prepare food, and support operations whenever needed, even during holidays.
“They’re very impressive kids,” she said.
For SkillsUSA, the event was about more than recognition; it was about creating a meaningful and memorable experience that reflects the spirit of service itself. By working together on the security boxes, sharing a meal, and recognizing one another’s contributions, students and community members were able to connect in a deeper, more personal way.
As the event concluded, the message remained clear: Appreciation can be just as powerful as action. Through collaboration, creativity, and a shared commitment to helping others, SkillsUSA students honored those who dedicate their time to ensuring no one in their community goes hungry, one meal, and now one memory, at a time.
