Schools
Eighth Grader William Tyler Alford-Getchell Represents Stoughton in Project 351
Alford-Getchell, an eighth-grader at the OMS, is Stoughton's representative for Project 351, a state-wide event designed to encourage community service in young people, held in Boston today (Saturday, January 15).
William “Tyler” Alford-Getchell is looking forward to meeting Governor Deval Patrick on Saturday, again.
Tyler is one of 351 eighth graders from around the state that were chosen to participate in Project 351, an initiative created by the Patrick-Murray Administration to encourage community service in young people.
Tyler, age 14, was chosen to represent Stoughton’s based on his winning essay (see a PDF of the essay in the photo gallery).
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“When there, I will focus on the meaning of what it is to be Governor and respect the importance of his duties,” wrote Tyler. “I love my country and state as well as my town. I have much respect for Governor Patrick and am proud to have him as my governor.”
Tyler has an interest in politics and government and says he would like to be governor someday.
Find out what's happening in Stoughtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Tyler actually met Governor Patrick when he came to the school during his election campaign. Tyler was chosen to ask the Governor a question.
“I asked him what his average day was like as Governor of Massachusetts. His answer was that every day is different, that he never has to do the same job twice, and that got me more interested in his job because there is always something new to do,” said Tyler. “It was an honor to be able to speak to the Governor because not a lot of people get to do that.”
According to www.Project351.com, the 351 ambassadors will meet on January 15 (it was originally scheduled for Jan. 8 but was postponed because of an anticipated snowstorm) at the Cradles to Crayons headquarters in Brighton for a Town Hall style meeting, then fan out across the City of Boston and “join up with leaders in the pro sports community” -- Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics, Kevin Faulk of the New England Patriots, and Jay Heaps, formerly of the New England Revolution -- to do various community service at organizations such as Cradles to Crayons, The Military and Family Support Center, and local food banks. They will return to Brighton for a service celebration.
Tyler will be painting classrooms at an elementary school in Boston where he will also be helping with a book drive (and he will be donating a “Goosebumps” book from his own collection).
“It is an opportunity of a lifetime to be chosen,” said Tyler on Friday as he anticipated the event. He will be creating a pictorial collage to share with his social studies class.
Check Stoughton Patch next week for a follow-up with Tyler and his experience at the event.
