MATTAPOISETT — Old Rochester Regional School District students participated in a Project 351 workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 16.

Project 351 is a nonprofit organization that promotes youth-led service.

Over 170 student leaders attended a Project 351 workshop at Old Rochester Regional High School, where they participated in various community service and leadership activities.

The workshop included high school, junior high school, and elementary school students, who met for about two hours each.

“The day began with students bringing donations for hurricane relief in partnership with the Tri-Town Nurses and contributing socks to support the ORRHS Community Service Learning Club's "Socktober," read a district press release.

After introductions and engaging icebreakers led by Molly Wronski, Olivia Thompson, and Quinn Chisholm, students explored the idea of “energy givers and takers” in relation to leadership. They also discussed Daniel Coyle’s “Good Apple” experiment from his book “The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups.”

“Students could participate in dynamic scenario discussions and group reflections using the Project 351 and Celtics Playbook,” said Director of Guidance Lauren Millette. “I was thoroughly impressed with the in-depth discussions students were taking part in and how they were able to think critically about real-world issues using their own experiences as a guide.”

The Celtics Playbook Initiative seeks to leverage the power of sport and, more specifically, the appeal of the Celtics to engage students on critical issues. The program features a series of workshops for students in grades 4-12 in an effort to build a community-oriented environment.

"I think that I am in a better position to be a leader because of this workshop today, and I can use tools I learned to help me in everyday situations,” said seventh-grade student Riley Sickel. “I might take more time thinking about what I say or do in a group, and if I am taking energy from the group, I'll try harder to bring more positive energy. I can also pay closer attention to situations where I could help lead and find solutions to a problem."

The workshop concluded by introducing the students to Kaizen, which is the idea of continuous improvement and is a mantra in the Celtics’ locker room. Students implemented this mindset by reflecting on their personal growth throughout the day.

“The ability to stop, think critically, and reflect on potential solutions for real-world problems is an essential skill that will continue to serve our students well beyond the classroom,” Superintendent Nelson said. “I commend our dedicated staff for facilitating these discussions, and I thank our student leaders for their impact on our school community.”