By Quincey Reese, Staff Writer

The Community Action Program (CAP) has returned with nearly 30 different projects for members to choose from. Under the sponsorship of Penn-Trafford’s new nurse, Lisa Popovich, the club has utilized a similar organization to last year with a few changes.

Popovich said that CAP is being run similarly to how it has in the past, and retired nurse Pat Blahovec aided in the start of her new position.

“Nurse Pat Blahovec made my transition amazing. She did everything to help me, had everything organized, and was available to answer any question, still now,” Popovich said. “And she’s willing and able to help, because she loves the kids. Even though she’s not here, she’s still helping.”

Similarly to last year, popular projects have returned with a few activities the community has asked for help with. Some of these include the “You’ve Got a Friend Day” project, the Buddy Program and the Food Drive and Food Pantry. Popovich was also asked for student help with the Sunrise Color Run activity as well as with the Theatre Factory.

The use of technology in this year’s program has changed the way students sign up and receive reminders for the projects that take place each day and week. CAP now has a Twitter account, email address, remind number and website designed by student Andrew Wisniewski.

Sign-ups for the program and separate activities are on the website, as well. A laptop is available in the nurse’s office for students to complete these sign-ups if they cannot do so at home.

As of Oct. 14, 335 out of around 1,300 students at P-T have signed up for CAP. Popovich said the response to service projects has been good despite the new sign-up method. Since it is new, she said that people are still adjusting to it.

Senior CAP co-president Jackie Seltzer said she was worried about this initially, as well.

“At first, I was most concerned with the enrollment. I didn’t think many people signed up, and I’m still not particularly certain on the numbers,” she said. “It’s a great program full of so many opportunities to meet different people in the community, and there is a project for everyone. The more people that sign up the better. Everyone is welcome and you can sign up all year.”

Along with senior co-president Dylan Cleland, Seltzer oversees events and helps raise awareness for the CAP program. She is mainly involved with the sweater drive, Big Buddy Program, Irwin Food Pantry and selling shirts to raise money for blood cancer research.

Popovich said she looks forward to all of the projects for planned this year.

“I get excited about all of them. I know it sounds silly, but I do,” she said. “I’m never concerned. The kids always step up to help, and that’s what’s so nice about our students here at Penn-Trafford High School. They always step up to help the community. When we did the Connellsville Collection, it was awesome. The kids really jumped in to help with that.”

Seltzer said she especially enjoys the Big Buddy Program.

“It’s always so fun to see all of the little kids every year and reminds me of how excited I was to meet my big buddy when I was in third grade,” she said. “They’re always so nervous and it’s cute to finally meet them after sending letters for two months.

Seltzer added that she looks forward to meeting new members of the program as well as what all the club can accomplish this year.

Senior CAP co-vice president Erin Kelly said she is also excited for the Big Buddy Program along with the Toys for Tots project.

“I am really looking forward to the Toys for Tots project and Big Buddy Program. I did the Toys for Tots project last year and it was actually really fun,” Kelly said. “You get to pick out the toys some little kid will get for Christmas. So you hope you did a good job for them and it kind of puts some things in perspective.”

Kelly is a chairperson for several CAP projects in addition to a co-vice president. She works to promote the club, attend the Toys for Tots events and sort food, check expiration dates and pack boxes for the Food Drive.

Popovich’s goals for the program this year center on helping the kids find projects they enjoy and feel good about doing. She plans to do this by working with the student leaders of the program to set and achieve their own goals.

“Truly, to help the students find a service project that they feel they are helping in is my goal,” she said. “I think that’s one of the important things that we in the high school need to do: to teach that you have to do service for others. It can’t be about us all the time. We have to reach out and do for others.”

Popovich said she has enjoyed working at the high school with the CAP program and continues to learn more about how to manage it.

“I absolutely love the CAP program and working with it. I love what it does for the kids and for the community,” Popovich said. “I’m always learning. I probably learn something new every day. I really do. It’s been great because Nurse Pat truly helped me all along the way, but now it’s making sure I do what’s best for the kids and the school.”

Both Seltzer and Kelly agreed that Popovich is doing a great job as a CAP sponsor. They said she is the best person for the role.

“Mrs. Popovich has done a fabulous job so far. I can’t say enough about her. She is a wonderful lady, eager to fill Mrs. Blahovec’s shoes,” Seltzer said. “Nurse B. set the bar extremely high and we all miss her dearly. Although she is irreplaceable, Mrs. Popovich is doing everything she can and more to keep the program the way Mrs. Blahovec would have wanted it. If anyone has to be in charge of CAP this year, hands down it would be Mrs. Popovich.”

Kelly added to this sentiment.

“She is quite possibly the kindest person I have ever met, and if anyone is going to successfully take over for Nurse B., it’s her,” Kelly added.

Popovich said the lessons the program teaches students can go beyond CAP and high school. They are meant to be taken with members at whatever stage of life they are in.

“You get a great feeling from helping and you want to do it again. There’s so many ways you can help, you don’t just have to do so through CAP,” she said. “You’re in the Giant Eagle parking lot and you see an elderly person taking their cart over to their car. You can walk over, help them unload it and take it back for them. The littlest things that you think are nothing mean the world to them.”

CAPCommunity Service