This month’s National Renaissance Student of the Month is Gabrielle Staman from Warrior Run High School in Turbotville, PA. Nominator Andrea Landis writes:
Gabrielle brought a popular Halloween event, Trunk or Treat, to the Warrior Run School Community for the 1st time! She spent the time working out all of the details of the evening from where trunks would be placed to where trick or treaters would line up to wait. Gabby reached out to all of the MS and HS student organizations to encourage them to host a trunk and even provided a contest to encourage some friendly competition! She was able to get 33 organizations to host a trunk. Gabby did an excellent job sharing the event through multiple avenues. Over 450 trick or treaters from the Warrior Run community were in attendance! This event was an amazing opportunity to connect the school and the community together to build RELATIONSHIPS!
How long have you been involved with Renaissance?
In 2020, I was a part of a student led group that opened a school store in our middle school. Organizing and implementing this store required us all to work together and take responsibility, allowing me to really get involved with Renaissance.
What’s a favorite Renaissance moment for you?
One of my favorite moments so far is how our recent Trunk or Treat event brought the community together. At first, having different groups from around the community volunteer to host a trunk was heartening. Then to see the impact it made on the little kids and their families, and seeing how excited everyone was, made it even better. It was amazing to see how supportive everyone was.
How has Renaissance impacted your school’s culture?
I think that Renaissance has really helped develop the kids at Warrior Run into leaders. Some kids may not have really understood what Renaissance was at first, but they quickly learned and began to grow from it. So many kids around the school have stepped up-whether into bigger leadership positions or smaller, hidden roles-to help wherever they can. We have already accomplished so much this year, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings us.
How has Renaissance affected you personally?
Since Renaissance has come to our school, I’ve had many more opportunities to be a leader and help out around the school. Assisting in all the various activities has helped me grow to be more organized and confident in what I’m doing. I know that the skills I am learning through Renaissance will help me in my future.
What advice would you give to someone just starting with Renaissance?
I would say that although it may seem intimidating at first, keep going. In life, you will have to face your fears and make mistakes to grow and become a better you. You will have so many people supporting you and ready to help you, that you will easily be able to get back up and try again. I was nervous at first that I wouldn’t be able to handle my school work while also helping with Renaissance around the school, but I was wrong. If anything, doing Renaissance has helped me learn skills that allow me to do better not only in school, but also out.
Gabrielle will receive a water bottle and a lapel pin in recognition of her achievement.