PennCORP volunteer group encourages freshmen to help

Highland Park High School '92 Highland Park, Ill. A total of about 50 students will be invited to participate, and will be selected through an application process, Assistant Director of the Program for Student-Community Involvement Marcine Pickron-Davis said. All first-year students received an application in the mail, which was due by June 17. "I think it's a good introduction to some of the issues that are prevalent in a community like West Philadelphia," she said. "It gives them a good segue to some of the issues?in their own back yard, since this is going to be their residence for the next four years." Pickron-Davis also described the program as a "good hands-on opportunity in lieu of the theoretical stuff that goes on in the classroom." This year, students will participate in a variety of community service activities which take place all around the city of Philadelphia. Organizations that will benefit from the students' help include: Habitat for Humanity, which helps to build and restore houses, the New Ralston House which has programming for the elderly, and Dixon House which provides after-school activities for children. Other beneficiaries include: Project Home which provides support for the homeless, the People's Emergency Center which helps women and children who are victims of abuse, and the Anti-Grafitti Network, which strives to keep the city's walls and buildings free of grafitti. The weekend is completely free for those students who are selected -- including meals and transportation to the help sites. In addition, the Residential Living early move-in fee is waived for all participants, Pickron-Davis said. PSCI also sponsors activities such as Alternate Spring Break and Into the Streets during the school year, so that PennCORP participants can remain active with community service.