Clinton Township Newsletter

1 6 o c t o b e r 2 0 2 0 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M D e e g a n B r o T h e r S r o o f i n g – a f a m i l y - o w n e D a n D o p e r a T e D B u S i n e S S ! Proudly serving Hunterdon and Warren Counties in New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley, Deegan Brothers Roofing offers free consultations for all roofing, siding and gutter projects, with 0% financing! We offer unparalleled professionalism and a commitment to craftmanship. We pride ourselves in offering the highest level of customer service. Our office is staffed with friendly, knowledgeable employees who will review with you any and all of our services. Log into our website at: www. DeeganBrothersRoofing.com and review our blog, which provides informative tips for maintaining the integrity of your home's roof and gutter system. And, rest assured, Deegan Brothers Roofing is fully insured. We are ready to service all of your roofing and gutter needs, so give us a call today at: 908.479.4344! T e e n S T e a m u p T o f i g h T T h e C o V i D - 1 9 C u r V e When COVID-19 caused school closings in March and April, high schoolers across the globe suddenly found themselves with time on their hands outside of online school and homework. They felt restless and helpless staying inside and seeing people not following social distancing guidelines, not knowing what to do to help with the ongoing crisis. While searching for something to do, they decided to join the Pre-Med Task Force led by Dr. Jeffrey Robin, a science teacher at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts, through the Boston Leadership Institute. The program met (and continues to meet) twice a week for two hours, during which students would learn about COVID-19 and other topics related to the pandemic from lectures given by Dr. Robin. They also had the opportunity to meet in small groups to pursue their own projects relating to the pandemic. Inspired by the course, as an independent group project, these teens started an organization called the COVID-19 Awareness Teen Task Force (CATF). "We've been spreading awareness and easily accessible news about COVID-19. Recently, we've been making updates about reopening and relevant issues, as well as reminding our peers that there we're still in a pandemic and to continue taking precautions when with friends," said Jennifer Do-Dai, a senior at the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts. The members of CATF are passionate about educating other teens and the general public regarding COVID-19 through their informative blog and social media posts (primarily on their Instagram). Within two days of the program, they set up their website, www. Covid19ATF.org, which has information regarding the science of COVID-19 and the different groups' projects. "These remarkable and dedicated teenagers from across the globe came together as a united task force to learn about as well as spread knowledge and awareness during this difficult time," said Dr. Robin of the drive and passion of CATF. "It was really frustrating to see people putting their family, friends, and communities at risk because they don't understand the potentially detrimental effects of their actions and not being able to do anything about it," Mia Magliari, a junior from Franklin High School in Massachusetts, explained. "We started CATF so that we could use our unique perspectives as teenagers caught in this chaotic pandemic to help those in similar positions to us navigate the ongoing crisis." As a group, they have started various initiatives to do their part. They post multiple blog posts per week ranging from summarizing reopenings and general COVID-19 updates. Additionally, some of their other projects include: creating educational resources to support elementary and middle school students, bringing awareness to mental health issues that people are facing that have been exacerbated by the current crisis, debunking false news about the pandemic and social media scams, as well as helping produce and distribute face masks to those who wouldn't have access otherwise. These issues are addressed by different teams. Each team, such as the Reopening the Country Team or the Masks/PPE Team, is responsible for figuring out new ways to deal with these problems, and writing blog posts to spread awareness about these issues. The task force seeks to use their platform to give teens vital information targeted towards them as well as a platform to help efforts against the virus. "This pandemic has essentially turned everyone's life upside-down," said Anokhi Matta, a sophomore at North Hunterdon High School in New Jersey. "It helps to have a stable, reliable source of information and assistance during confusing times, and we hope to be that source–not only for teenagers, but for adults and children as well." They recently started an ambassador program, recruiting other teens who did not have the opportunity to join the task force to get involved in their communities and encourage taking precautions against the virus. Teenagers seem to be one of the main perpetrating groups of violating social distancing/ mask guidelines to hang out with friends (many of whom post this behavior on Instagram). This is a serious concern for students returning to school while the pandemic still rages on (mostly in the U.S.) who fear for the safety of themselves, their families, their teachers, and their friends. the COVID-19 Awareness Teen Task Force is also hosting a fundraiser on www.GoFundMe.com that directly supports Feeding America, which provides meals to over 40 million families in poverty and at risk for hunger. Every dollar donated will provide at least 10 meals, and their goal is to reach $5000 dollars. Especially now, due to the recession and increased unemployment caused by COVID-19, action needs to be taken to help feed families in need, including not only by donating to organizations like Feeding America, but by stopping the pandemic from worsening and further disrupting lives.

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