Action Teams Honored for Their Community Service Involvement

Action Teams on opposite sides of the country were honored this week for serving their communities.

The Manatee School for the Performing Arts Action Team, an active participant in the program since 2012, was recognized at the Palmetto (Fla.) town hall meeting on Monday night for adopting four local parks. Each Saturday morning during the school year, the Manatee Action Team Captains come together for three hours to help clean the local parks.

Plaques were to be placed at each of the four parks they have committed to serving. Yankees pitcher David Robertson, a Tampa area resident in the off-season, sent a letter to the Manatee School Action Team commending their work and congratulating them on their night of recognition:

“As someone who calls this area home, I’m extremely proud to have Manatee High School students involved in the Action Team national youth volunteer program,” Robertson said in the letter. “Your passion and commitment to helping improve our community is truly inspiring and, as this evening’s honor indicates, your deeds have not gone unnoticed.  On behalf of all Major Leaguers, congratulations and keep up the good work. We’re happy to have you on our Team.”

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, El Camino Real Charter High School Action Team was honored last week with a letter of commendation from Los Angeles County for its monthly commitment to cleaning up Woolsey Canyon.

The ECR Action Team, founded in November of 2013 by Blake Sperling, now a senior at the school, has grown from five active Team Captains to a club with 25 participants. Blake and his fellow Action Team Captains have dedicated the second Saturday of each month during the school year to cleaning Woolsey Canyon.

During a pep rally, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich presented the ECR Action Team with a plaque thanking the student volunteers for their commitment and dedication to preserving the beauty of Woolsey Canyon.

“This award would mean nothing if not for the hard-work each and every one of you put in on a daily basis and your commitment to serve not only yourself, but the greater good,” Sperling told his fellow Action Team Captains.

The Manatee and ECR Action Team Captains are representative of the hundreds of high school students serving as Action Team volunteers across the country who are making positive contributions to their communities and inspiring other high school students to get in on the action.

To #JoinOurTeam, please visit www.ActionTeam.org.