TURNER – United Way of Androscoggin County announces that students from Leavitt Area High School volunteered to participate in a unique opportunity called United Way’s Student Executive Program. The six students who volunteered are Jillian Chabot, Stacey Dunn and Meagan Gilbert from Greene and Max Havener, Devin Myles and Kristin Schrepper from Turner.

Leavitt Area High School partnered with United Way of Androscoggin County in the pilot program to provide young leaders with an opportunity to see first-hand the needs of the community.

The young executives learned how United Way provides funding to support children with severe emotional and physical difficulties, isolated elderly who are living alone in unsafe homes, people who are suffering with mental illness, as well as other community issues affecting individuals and families.

The students visited two agencies: the Rural Community Action Ministry in Leeds and Trinity Jubilee Center in Lewiston, where they saw the needs of vulnerable individuals in Androscoggin County.

Following two half-day training sessions, the students developed effective personal stories about the people they met at site visits, which they shared with teachers and school department staff throughout the district.

The partnership between education and community offers a unique service learning experience that provides high school students with an opportunity to learn about their community’s needs while developing the knowledge and skills to become future community leaders.

For more information about the United Way or to find out how to become involved in helping the residents of Androscoggin County, call 795-4000 or visit the Web at http://www.unitedwayandro.org.