The Chelsea District Library (CDL) recently announced that Chelsea High School rising senior, Isabella Andreski, has been named the library’s 2019 Youth Service Group (YSG) Volunteer of the Year.
The award, begun in 2015, recognizes a teen volunteer who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment.
Bella started volunteering at the library as a 7th grader at Beach Middle School. Like many YSG volunteers, she volunteered for many hours over the summer, sitting at the Summer Reading Table handing out prizes and recording books that kids read.
Unlike many, though, she decided to sign up to help with fall programming, as well.
“For years, I’d always gone to the library for books to read and a place to stay,” Bella told Youth & Teen Librarian Edith Donnell recently. “In return, I wanted to give a chance to make that experience to other kids and families through volunteering.”
Teen Librarian Stacey Comfort met Bella when she first arrived at the library, and was impressed from the start.
“Bella is a great volunteer. She’s familiar with all of our regular programs, and is excellent at taking charge and leading other volunteers when the situation calls for it.”
Where Bella has demonstrated the greatest volunteer leadership and excellence is as the resident Minecraft Monday specialist.
Minecraft Monday, a program that brings as many as 20 kids together to play Minecraft in a shared world, has been a popular program at the library since it began in 2014.
Bella began volunteering for the program almost at its inception. Within a few years she was managing server activities, building landscapes, and developing challenges.
“She showed great skill at helping kids get their footing with the computer game,” said Youth Librarian Jessica Zubik, “It made a huge difference for us to have a volunteer that understood the game and knew how to talk to kids.”
The library is always looking for new members for the Youth Service Group who are going into seventh grade or above.
Interested students and their families can visit the Chelsea District Library website at www.chelseadistrictlibrary.org, and look for the How Do I…tab to find volunteer opportunities.
Due to COVID 19, the library YSG program is experiencing a hiatus, but YSG opportunities will return at a time when it is safe to do so. Youth Service Group volunteers help set up and clean up library programs, assist with running the Summer Reading Program, and support the youth and teen librarians in tasks important to the function of the library.
