STRIKE Committee gets teens to focus on community

Originally published October 12, 2014 (Submission copy)

The Orland Park STRIKE committee  for teenagers ages 13 to 18 will host its monthly meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. October 15 at the Orland Park Cultural Arts Center, 14760 Park Lane, Orland Park.

STRIKE, which stand for Supportive Teens Responding in Kindness Everywhere, consists of high school freshmen through seniors who gather on the third Wednesday of every month to plan and implement various service projects. Their mission is to allow teens “to have a voice; learn about commitment and responsibility; teach leadership skills and valuable life lessons; as well as present possible career choices. This committee is passionate about helping people, animals, and their environment.”

The committee has been in existence for several years and was renamed STRIKE within the past year. Its  service projects are community based and offer a sense of accomplishment and selflessness for the teens.

“This is a great group of high school kids who want to get involved in the community,” said Kelli Messinger, the recreation program supervisor who oversees the committee. “It’s a great, fun way to meet the community service requirement for graduation and then some because the STRIKE Committee members go well beyond the required number of community service hours,” she added.

STRIKE members get credit for community service hours for any project they complete, as well as the meetings they attend.

Members are responsible for choosing and planning services projects, which vary from two hours to those that award eight hours per month. Members may participate in as many service projects as possible throughout the year, but must commit to at least eight per year to maintain active status.

“Being a member of the village’s STRIKE Committee looks great on a resume and college applications,” said Janine Hozzian, the group’s staff coordinator. “It’s competitive when you’re applying for jobs, scholarships, and to get into school and the committee is a great way to show that you’re involved,” she said. “It’s also a great way to explore career opportunities because our members get to meet a lot of different people from all different fields.”

To be part of the group’s service projects, participants must complete a registration form and be registered on the STRIKE Committee. There’s  also a specific code of conduct, with guidelines regarding, but not limited to, attendance, punctuality, work ethic, conduct, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use.

Receiving “double credit” for community service hours toward the graduation requirement is a big draw for he committee, but the students also will learn important life lessons, such as learning to lead, being a member of a team, learning about themselves and their community; gaining self-confidence; being able to interact with many different socioeconomic groups; and explore career opportunities.

In 2013, a number of committee members served as television reporters for the village’s cable television channel, covering the annual Turkey Trot, interviewing participants, members of the audience and sponsors. Committee members also recorded station identifiers for OPTV – Orland Park Television.

Two quotes that the Committee deems important:

“Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself.  It is what you do for others.” – Danny Thomas

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Projects and organizations that the STRIKE Committee has been involved are the South Suburban Humane Society, Victory Reins Therapeutic Riding Center,  The Cancer Support Center,  MorningStar Mission, Peace Hospice and Palliative Care, Habitat for Humanity, Animals for Awareness, and the Orland Park Special Recreation Department.

This committee have held fundraisers for the Animal Welfare Society, Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital, Crisis Center of South Suburbia, The South Suburban Humane Society, and The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

For more information, contact Kelly Messinger at kmessinger@orlandpark.org or (708) 403-7275.