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“DOING GOOD AND FEELING GOOD”
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Jesse Mautner is not your average high school student. While he’s a sophomore at Pascack Hills High School, is a member of the Italian Club and of the school’s baseball team, what sets Jesse apart is his dedication to helping others – and the real steps he is taking to make a difference.
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Every week he volunteers with The Bouncers, a local basketball team made up of special needs athletes who participate in the Special Olympics. He also volunteers with the Bergen County Charity Classic, a baseball tournament that annually raises raise funds for charities and foundations for families associated with youth sports who have faced tragedy or illness.
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Using his budding editorial skills, he monthly researches, writes, designs and publishes a newsletter expressly for kids being mentored through the Volunteer Center of Bergen County’s Volunteers in Protective Services (VIPS) program. A goal of VIPS is to help kids, who have suffered abuse, neglect or isolation, see and take steps to achieve a brighter future. Jesse selects topics and provides news, factoids, graphics, and fun notes to help pique interest and spark conversation between the mentors and the kids: sports, politics, movies, coming events, and – as a concession to the girls – even an article about the American Girl Doll.
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"Writing the newsletter each month gives me a chance to use my skills to help improve the lives of other people,” says Jesse. “I like the fact that what I am doing can make a difference. When you do these things you become a better person and leave an impact on others. With the basketball, I am able to teach other people the skills that I have. I love to see how happy they are when they learn a new skill and are actually able to use it."
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