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Please add a little blurb about yourself below so we can get to know you!!!

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Please add a little blurb about yourself below so we can get to know you!!!

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Please add what job you would like to do when you become an adult below.

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Please add what your favorite hobbies are or what you like to do in your free time.

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Please feel free to ask any questions that you have in this column or you can email me personally at 19willardrd@gmail.com

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Hi everyone! My name is Aidan Nelson. I am 16 years old and currently a sophomore at Oakmont Regional High School. I am from Ashburnham which is small town in North Central Mass. I love being active and being outside. I am the captain of my varsity soccer team and play for FC Stars. I am also on the JV basketball team. In the summer I love sailing and water tubing. I was picked as an ambassador in the class of 2019 and now this is by 3rd year of Project 351. I am now an AMC and am humbled to lead all of you amazing young leaders through your ambassador year.

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Feel free if you are comfortable to describe any service projects you have taken part in. We can learn and be inspired by what others in our team have done!!!

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When I end High School I want to go into the intelligence field either in the FBI or CIA. I want to be able to serve and protect my community on a federal level. The other occupation I am interested in is running my own construction business.

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I love to be outside, play soccer and basketball, build things, hang out with friends and volunteer.

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Email: info@project351.org
Instagram: project351
Facebook: TeamProject351

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Email: 19willardrd@gmail.com
Phone: 978-860-6234
Instagram: a.nelson16
Snapchat: outlaws124
Preferred Mode Of Communication: Text

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(If you are comfortable please put your contact info below so we can get a team group chat up and running!!!)

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Please post something that you learned about Hank Aaron.

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Please post something that you learned about Hank Aaron.

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Henry (Hank) Aaron was one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game. Hank Aaron grew up in Mobile, Alabama. His family was very poor and he spent a lot of his childhood picking cotton on a nearby farm to help make money for his family. His family could not afford baseball gear but this did not deter Hank Aaron. He spent his childhood practicing with rocks and sticks and other household materials. He was one of the first black players to join the South Atlantic League, which was based out of Florida. There he faced the terrible racism that was occurring in the south at the time. Then in 1954 he made his MLB debut for the Atlanta Braves. During his career he was the first player to break Baba Ruths homerun record. On and off the field Hank Aaron was in the forefront of racial equality. He advocated to end segregation in the MLB and used his fame to create change. Up until his death he was advocating for equality and just days before he passed away he received his COVID vaccine to show the black community that it was safe. Sadly Hank Aaron passed away at the age of 86 in January of this year. We will lead and complete service in his name, remembering him for all that he did for our country and to end segregation.

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ATLANTA (AP) - His name is all over the baseball record book and, indeed, Hank Aaron could do it all.

Sure, he's remembered mostly for dethroning the Babe to become baseball's home run king on the way to 755, but don't forget about the .300 average, or the graceful way he fielded his position, or the deceiving speed he showed on the basepaths.

Yet, when talking about the true measure of the man, there was far more to "Hammerin' Hank" than his brilliance between the lines.

Exuding grace and dignity, Aaron spoke bluntly but never bitterly on the many hardships thrown his way - from the poverty and segregation of his Alabama youth to the ugly, racist threats he faced during his pursuit of one of America's most hallowed records.

He wasn't hesitant about speaking out on the issues of the day, whether it was bemoaning the lack of Blacks in management positions, or lobbying against putting Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame, or calling on those involved in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal to be tossed from the game for good.

"He never missed an opportunity to lead," former President Barack Obama said, describing Aaron as an "unassuming man" who set a "towering example."

Right up to his final days, the Hammer was making a difference.

Just 2 1/2 weeks before his death Friday at age 86, Aaron joined civil rights icons to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. He wanted to spread the word to the Black community that the shots were safe in the midst of a devastating pandemic.

"I feel quite proud of myself for doing something like this," Aaron said. "It's just a small thing that can help zillions of people in this country."

The Atlanta Braves, Aaron's longtime team, said he died in his sleep. No cause was given.

The Hammer set a wide array of career hitting records during a 23-year career spent mostly with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, including RBIs, extra-base hits and total bases.

But the Hall of Famer will be remembered for one swing above all others, the one that made him baseball's home-run king on April 8, 1974.

It was a title he would hold for more than 33 years, a period in which Aaron slowly but surely claimed his rightful place as one of America's most iconic sporting figures, a true national treasure worthy of mention in the same breath with Ruth or Ali or Jordan.

"With courage and dignity, he eclipsed the most hallowed record in sports while absorbing vengeance that would have broken most people," President Joe Biden said. "But he was unbreakable."

Former President Jimmy Carter, described Aaron as "a personal hero."

"A breaker of records and racial barriers, his remarkable legacy will continue to inspire countless athletes and admirers for generations to come," said Carter, who often attended Braves games with his wife, Rosalynn.

George W. Bush, a one-time owner of the Texas Rangers, presented Aaron in 2002 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom - the nation's highest civilian honor.

"The former Home Run King wasn't handed his throne," Bush said in a statement Friday. "He grew up poor and faced racism as he worked to become one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Hank never let the hatred he faced consume him."

Aaron's death follows that of seven other baseball Hall of Famers in 2020 and two more - Tommy Lasorda and Don Sutton - already this year.

"He was a very humble and quiet man and just simply a good guy," said 89-year-old Willie Mays, who finished with 660 homers. "I have so many fond memories of Hank and will miss him very much."

Before a sellout crowd at Atlanta Stadium and a national television audience, Aaron broke Ruth's home run record with No. 715 off Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Aaron's career total was surpassed by Barry Bonds in 2007 - though many continued to call the Hammer the true home run king because of allegations that Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds finished his career with 762. Aaron never begrudged someone - not even a tarnished star - eclipsing his mark.

His common refrain: More than three decades as the king was long enough. It was time for someone else to hold the crown.

Besides, no one could take away his legacy.

"I just tried to play the game the way it was supposed to be played," Aaron said, summing it up better than anyone.

Bonds praised Aaron "for being a trailblazer through adversity and setting an example for all of us African American ballplayers who came after you."

Aaron's journey to Babe Ruth's mark was hardly pleasant. He was the target of extensive hate mail as he closed in on Ruth's cherished record of 714.

"If I was white, all America would be proud of me," Aaron said almost a year before he passed Ruth. "But I am Black."

Aaron was shadowed constantly by bodyguards and forced to distance himself from teammates. He kept all those hateful letters, a bitter reminder of the abuse he endured and never forgot.

"It's very offensive," he once said. "They call me 'nigger' and every other bad word you can come up with. You can't ignore them. They are here. But this is just the way things are for Black people in America. It's something you battle all of your life."

After retiring in 1976, Aaron became a revered, almost mythical figure, even though he never pursued the spotlight. He was thrilled when the U.S. elected Obama as its first African American president in 2008. Former President Bill Clinton credited Aaron with helping carve a path of racial tolerance that made Obama's victory possible.

"You've given us far more than we'll ever give you," Clinton said at Aaron's 75th birthday celebration.

Aaron spent 21 of his 23 seasons with the Braves, first in Milwaukee, then in Atlanta after the franchise moved to the Deep South in 1966. He finished his career back in Milwaukee, traded to the Brewers after the 1974 season when he refused to take a front-office job that would have required a big pay cut.

While knocking the ball over the fence became his signature accomplishment, the Hammer was hardly a one-dimensional star. In fact, he never hit more than 47 homers in a season (though he did have eight years with at least 40 dingers).

Aaron was a true five-tool star.

He claimed two National League batting titles. He finished with a career average of .305.

Aaron also was a gifted outfielder with a powerful arm, something often overlooked because of a smooth, effortless stride that his critics -with undoubtedly racist overtones - mistook for nonchalance. He was a three-time Gold Glove winner.

Then there was his work on the basepaths. Aaron posted seven seasons with more than 20 stolen bases, including a career-best of 31 in 1963.

Six feet tall and listed at 180 pounds during the prime of his career, Aaron was hardly an imposing player physically. But he was blessed with powerful wrists that made him one of the game's most feared hitters.

Aaron hit 733 homers with the Braves, the last in his final plate appearance with the team, a drive down the left field line off Cincinnati's Rawley Eastwick on Oct. 2, 1974. Exactly one month later, he was dealt to the Brewers for outfielder Dave May and minor league pitcher Roger Alexander.

The Braves made it clear they no longer wanted Aaron, then 40, returning for another season on the field. They offered him a front office job for $50,000 a year, about $150,000 less than his playing salary.

"Titles?" he said at the time. "Can you spend titles at the grocery store? Executive vice president, assistant to the executive vice president, what does it mean if it doesn't pay good money? I might become a janitor for big money."

Aaron became a designated hitter with the Brewers, but hardly closed his career with a flourish. He managed just 22 homers over his last two seasons, going out with a .229 average in 1976.

Even so, his career numbers largely stood the test of time.

Aaron still has more RBIs (2,297), extra-base hits (1,477) and total bases (6,856) than anyone in baseball history.

"I feel like that home run I hit is just part of what my story is all about," Aaron said.

He was NL MVP in 1957, when the Milwaukee Braves beat the New York Yankees in seven games to give Aaron the only World Series title of his career. It also was his lone MVP award, though he finished in the top 10 of the balloting 13 times.

Aaron also was selected for the All-Star Game 21 consecutive years - every season but his first and his last.

Still, Aaron never received the attention he deserved until late in his career. He played in only two World Series. He was stuck far from the media spotlight in Milwaukee and Atlanta. Early in Aaron's career, the press focused on outfielders like Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider, who benefited from playing in the media glare of New York City.

"In my day, sportswriters didn't respect a baseball player unless you played in New York or Chicago," Aaron said. "If you didn't come from a big city, it was hard to get noticed."

He was much more appreciated with the passing of time.

Aaron was elected to Cooperstown in 1982, his first year of eligibility and just nine votes short of being the first unanimous choice ever to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Whitey Ford, Lou Brock, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan and Phil Niekro - Aaron's teammate with the Braves for a decade - all died in 2020, the most Hall of Famers ever to pass away in a calendar year.

Henry Louis Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb. 5, 1934. He headed a long list of outstanding players who came from that Gulf Coast city - Satchel Paige, Willie McCovey, Billy Williams and Ozzie Smith among them.

Aaron, who initially hit with a cross-handed style, was spotted by the Braves while trying out for the Indianapolis Clowns, a Negro Leagues team. The Giants also were interested - imagine him in same outfield with Mays - but Aaron signed with Milwaukee, spent two seasons in the minors and came up to the Braves in 1954 after Bobby Thomson was injured in spring training.

Aaron was a full-fledged star by 1957, when he led the Braves to that World Series victory over Mantle's New York Yankees. The following year, Milwaukee made it back to the Series, only to blow a 3-1 lead and lose to the Yankees in seven games.

Though he played for nearly two more decades, Aaron never came so close to a championship again.

In 1959, the Braves finished in a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for first in the NL, only to lose a best-of-three playoff to the Dodgers for the pennant. Aaron's only other playoff appearance came in 1969, when the Braves were swept by New York's Amazin' Mets in the inaugural NL Championship Series.

His dearth of October appearances was baseball's loss. In 17 postseason games, Aaron batted .362 (25 of 69) with six homers and 16 RBIs.

But forever, there was that April night in 1974.

Aaron whipped his 34-ounce Louisville Slugger through the strike zone with those powerful wrists. The ball rose higher and higher as the crowd of 53,775 rose to its feet with a collective roar.

Finally, home run No. 715 came down in the Braves bullpen. Despite a mighty leap that left him dangling atop the fence, Dodgers left fielder Bill Buckner never had a chance. Atlanta reliever Tom House made the catch at 9:07 p.m. and swiftly returned the ball to Aaron, who was celebrating at home plate with his teammates and parents.

As Aaron rounded second, two young fans sprinted in from right field, startling No. 44 when they patted him on the back before racing back to the stands in left.

"I guess that will always be a part of me running around the bases," Aaron said. "I never had anyone run with me before. They were just kids having a good time."

Dodgers announcer Vin Scully was among those delivering the call on the historic shot.

"What a marvelous moment for baseball. What a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia. What a marvelous moment for the country and the world," Scully said, well aware of the cultural significance. "A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol."

After retiring as a player, Aaron made amends with the Braves for trading him away. He returned as a vice president and director of player development, a task he held for 13 years before settling into a largely ceremonial role as senior vice president and assistant to the president in 1989.

He ventured into business, buying fast food chicken franchises, doughnut shops and an automobile dealership. He also dipped into politics as campaign treasurer for his brother-in-law, David Scott, who was elected to the U.S. House.

Aaron's younger brother, Tommie, played alongside his brother for parts of seven seasons in both Milwaukee and Atlanta. Though he never had much success, the Aarons hold the record for most homers (768) by a pair of siblings.

Of course, Tommie accounted for just 13 of them. He died of leukemia at age 45 in 1984.

Hank Aaron's survivors include his wife, Billye, and their daughter, Ceci. He also had four children from his first marriage to Barbara Lucas - Gail, Hank Jr., Lary and Dorinda.

Long after his career was over, Aaron acknowledged that today's athletes are bigger, stronger and more fit.

Still, he would have been a success in any era.

"I may not have hit 70 homers in a season," Aaron once said, "but I would have been up there."

____

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and find his work at https://apnews.com

____

This story includes research from the late Ed Shearer, a longtime Atlanta sports writer for The Associated Press who covered Aaron's 715th homer.

____

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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Hank Aaron, baseball's one-time home run king, dies at 86

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ATLANTA (AP) - His name is all over the baseball record book and, indeed, Hank Aaron could do it all. Sure, he's remembered mostly for dethroning the Babe to become baseball's home run king on the way to 755, but don't forget about the .300 average, or the graceful way he fielded his position, or the deceiving speed he showed on the basepaths.

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Video From The MLB Remembering Hank Aaron

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Video From The MLB Remembering Hank Aaron

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Remembering Hank Aaron, one of the greatest MLB players ever

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“Breaking Records And Smashing Racial Barriers”

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“Breaking Records And Smashing Racial Barriers”

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This is the 6 word memoir for Hank Aaron. A 6 work memoir is six words that describe a story or a life in this case about Hank Aaron

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Please read and click on all the link in the Service Hero and Important Dates and Notices section of the Padlet.

Please read your fellow team members comments so we can start team building!!!

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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of the Beloved Community inspires our mission and youth-led service movement. Each year, Project 351 honors his life and legacy by convening a new Class of 8th grade Ambassadors who embrace the responsibility to lead with a determination to make a difference.

Selected by hometown educators, these unsung heroes and quiet leaders unite for a transformative year of service and leadership. They join a warm, welcoming community built on the belief that service is joy and that world-changing impact is possible. They offer their unique gifts, force of idealism, and dedication to a cause greater than self. From 351 cities and towns, they become one community, one team, one force for extraordinary good.

Ambassadors are invited to "unite, act, and lead" for a year of inspirational service, empowering leadership training, and teamwork with a statewide network of friends.

February

Service Leadership Academy

Orientation & warm welcome through online programming, team building, and civic engagement with inspirational special guests.

March 7

Launch of the Class of 2021

With Governor Charlie Baker & Lauren Baker, in partnership with John Hancock, we virtually unite to celebrate the kickoff to the Class of 2021's transformational year as Ambassadors!

April

Spring Service | In support of Cradles to Crayons

Spring Service demonstrates the awe-inspiring impact of young people united by a shared mission. Each April the Spring Service team leads hometown service to collect gently worn clothing and shoes, and financial donations in support of Cradles to Crayons. Through Project 351 customized training and mentoring model, Ambassadors gain the skills and confidence to mobilize their schools and community in service, while strengthening the values of kindness, compassion, and generosity. Spring Service is the largest youth-led service in the state's history and generates the greatest in-kind donation to C2C annually. Below, we invite you to learn about 2018 scale of engagement and impact of Ambassador leadership on the lives of children in homeless or challenging economic circumstances.

May

Hope & Gratitude Walk

Walk/run/bike for 3.51 miles (or more!) in your hometown with friends and family. United, we raise funds in support of nonprofits selected by you and your Classmates!

JUNE

LEADERSHIP REUNION

In partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, we gather for a celebration of Ambassadors and Alumni! Unite for leadership development, service impact, and team building with special guests.

SEPTEMBER 11

9.11 TRIBUTE SERVICE

In support of the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund and Hope & Comfort

In tribute to the unifying power of community, we dedicate service to "honor and remember" in support of bereaved families of Fallen military and critical community need.

OCTOBER

SERVICE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

SLA is back with more inspirational programming, leadership training, and special guests!

DECEMBER

FALL SERVICE: THE AMBASSADOR CAMPAIGN TO END HUNGER

The Class of 2021 mobilizes schools and communities in service to hometown food pantries and the families they nourish.

INVITATION TO ALUMNI COMMUNITY

Join Project 351's Alumni Organization to serve and lead through high school and beyond!

"As a Project 351 Ambassador, I have grown as a leader.
I have developed compassion and perseverance and I take great pride in my service.
I have made an impact on my community and I am very proud of that."

- Jason Ofcarcik, Ambassador, Hampden

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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of the Beloved Community inspires our mission and youth-led service movement. Each year, Project 351 honors his life and legacy by convening a new Class of 8th grade Ambassadors who embrace the responsibility to lead with a determination to make a difference.

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I know the emails are long and frequent and they can get overwhelming but make sure to read and look at

-Bolded Words
-Action Steps
-Dates

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Please share on fun fact that is unique to yourself.

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I was born in Seattle, Washington and moved here when I was 6 months old.

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Hi, am Joash from Framingham. I am very happy to be here, am 14years old, love anime and I play soccer and volleyball. Nice to meet u

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774-498-9344
sejjembajoash@gmail.com

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I love anime, like a lot and playing sports

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Emeline Kelly (emma line) (she/her/hers)

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Emeline Kelly (emma line) (she/her/hers)

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Hi! My name is Emeline, and I'm 14 years old. I'm from Holliston, MA. I play soccer, do karate, and I love playing ukulele and guitar! I also love art of all kinds. I'm so excited to meet all of you!

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774-290-8510
emelinekelly@gmail.com

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Hopefully I will get my black belt in karate in April!

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I love karate, soccer, art, and playing music. I also love drama club, and I love working with kids.

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I want to go into some sort of criminal or forensic psychology field.

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Hey! My name is Jake, I am 14 years of age and live in the town of Wayland Mass. I like soccer and play piano. I am super excited to get to know all of you and work with all of you! Also, you may find I am a bit of a chatterbox. Just a heads up!
Thanks,
Jake

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Phone: 508-903-7620
Email: jacoboleary@gmail.com

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I learned that he was the African American person to break Babe Ruth’s records!

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I like to play jazz on piano.

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RC vehicles, piano, soccer.

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I aspire to be a computer programmer or an engineer that builds aircrafts.

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I am apart of a non-profit organization known as New Life furniture bank. We take peoples unwanted furniture and give it to people just coming out of poverty to make there home feel like home.

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Hi, my name is Madelyn Stalker but I like to go by Maddy. I am 13 years old, I will be turning 14 in around a month. For a Sport I go to boxing and I love art.

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Hi, my name is Madelyn Stalker but I like to go by Maddy. I am 13 years old, I will be turning 14 in around a month. For a Sport I go to boxing and I love art.

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My name is Madelyn Stalker I like to go by Maddy (she/her)
Phone number: 503-314-7931
Email: madelynl.stalker@tantasqua.org
snapchat: maddy_stalk2019

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I love music and the water

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I go to a boxing gym and I like to draw or paint.

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She/her/hers
Phone: (413) 507-1980
Email: ebhuiya0517@gmail.com

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I want to be a surgeon when I grow up, so I got a suture kit online and I love to practice different types of sutures with the tools and fake skin pad it came with!

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I attend dance classes and I love to listen to music (if that counts).

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My dream is to be a surgeon when I become an adult. I've always been interested in the medical field, and I love to research and watch surgeries.

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Hey guys! I'm Evelyn and I am 13 years old (turning 14 in May)! I live in Springfield, Massachusetts. I have a 17-year-old brother and I'm very dedicated to school and my education. I love dance and music, and I'm obsessed with the show "Grey's Anatomy".

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I learned that Hank Aaron played 23 seasons in the MLB from 1954 to 1976.

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Please share what you thought about SLA, Playbook and Launch!!

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The first Playbook Workshop was a lot of fun! It was great to have such deep, powerful, and maybe even uncomfortable discussions that I don't normally get to have with other people my age. SLA, Playbook, and Launch made me even more excited and hopeful for my future. I'm very inspired by all of you.

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Add you reflection of SLA below. If you could try to think of two roses and a thorn or two things you enjoyed and one part that could be improved that would be great!!

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What is one way that you will incorporate Hank Aaron’s message in your service this year??

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One way that I will incorporate Hank Aaron's message in my service this year is by helping others feel included and helping society in its steps toward being free of discrimination.