Area Project 351 Ambassadors Complete a Successful Clothing Drive to Benefit Cradles to Crayons

Three King Philip Middle School students were selected to join more than 380 other young leaders from across the Commonwealth for a statewide youth-led service initiative known as Project 351. Madison Asprelli, Gavin Hickey, and Rhianna Mason were chosen as Project 351 ambassadors and led a year of service within their school.
Project 351 is a nonprofit organization that develops a new generation of community-first service leaders through a yearlong engagement. The program was started in 2011 by then-Gov. Deval Patrick.

Each year, teachers from the state’s 351 cities and towns nominate eighth graders for the program, which encourages the recognition of unsung heroes and quiet leaders while striving to foster unity and opportunity through ambassador-led service.

The three KPMS students were selected by their teachers because they have demonstrated kindness, compassion, humility, gratitude, and an exemplary level of service during their time at the school.
In a typical school year, Project 351 ambassadors participate in several service projects, including a clothing drive to benefit Cradles to Crayons, a non-profit that provides homeless and low-income children with essentials and school supplies.

On May 11, Asprelli, Hickey, and Mason, along with members of the school’s Kindness Club, sorted through and packaged up clothing for Cradles to Crayons. The two-week collection campaign resulted in enough clothing to fill a total of 50 bags for the charity.

Since its founding, Project 351 has empowered 3,000 eighth grade ambassadors, built an alumni organization of community builders and change agents, impacted over 460,000 neighbors through service, and fostered a culture of kindness, compassion, and gratitude in hundreds of schools and communities across the Commonwealth.