Youth Changemakers Mobile Cafe

Students at Murdock High School and the Winchendon School came together under the guidance of the HEAL Winchendon Project to create a youth space for teens to hang out in Winchendon. With great understanding that this is going to take time to get a brick and mortar location, they have begun by spreading the word about the future teen center and by fundraising. They created a Youth Changemaker Mobile Café, a coffee cart that they take to events where they sell coffee and treats while introducing their idea to the community. Their seed funding will help them to purchase tables and chairs so people have a place to gather while enjoying their coffee.

The Bench
After dealing with bullying and tough mental health days themselves in the past, the members of The Bench know how it feels to be dealing with issues and feel like they have no one they can turn to for support. To remedy the situation, the members of the Bench decided to work with the school administration to help train a group of peer counselors, students who are able to listen to and converse with those in need, and create benches for each level where students and faculty can go when they need a shoulder to lean on. These benches will hopefully raise awareness towards the issues that the school body are dealing with, not only helping those in need get help but also make others realize the impact their negative actions are having.

Project Blue Hands
After learning about the issues that mental health through their health class, the girls of Project Blue Hands saw much of these issues taking place right there within their school, with students and teachers alike feeling overwhelmed trying to handle these issues alone. To remedy the situation, this team worked with teachers and the school administration to create a group of mental health allies within the school and are working to raise awareness of mental health issues within the student body to create greater support for those who are suffering. They hope to expand across the district in the coming years.

Lady Blue Devils Softball Field Improvement
The fields used by the Lady Blue Devils softball team were in rough shape – old, rotting bleachers and worn down gravel made it hard for the team to excel. These less-than-ideal conditions inspired the entire team to create a Venture to make the field not just usable, but an enjoyable piece of community land on which future Blue Devils may be successful. Thanks to many helpful community members and donations, the girls are well underway with their project and they are confident the field will be leagues better than how they found it by the time they graduate.

Devil Bots
This Venture was founded after members of the Devil Bots recognized the need to expose the world of robotics to younger students within Murdock Middle High School, as well as improve the robotics program at MMHS, overall. The Devil Bots plan to do this by encouraging their fellow peers to join the robotics program, inviting them to fun, interactive meetings, as well as raising money through annual fundraisers, such as a robotics competition at MMHS. Finally, the Devil Bots will be scheduling regular visits with middle school students from MMHS to spark interest in the robotics program at a younger age (currently, most students are not able to take robotics until they enter high school).

Sound of Blue
As members of many of their schools sports teams, this Venture is interested in helping out the Athletic Department at Murdock Middle High School, by replacing old sports equipment for the different sports teams. Their first project is aimed at putting a new sound system in the gym so that they are able to use it during team practices and pep rallies. They believe this will create more school spirit and energize the teams that use the gym throughout the year. For fundraisers they hope to have movie nights in the gym where they charge people for popcorn, soda and candy.

Wii Care
Students in this venture bring Wii systems to nursing homes to help promote fitness among the senior citizens as well as create a bridge between the elderly and young generations.

The Sound of Murdock
This team is purchasing D.J. equipment and plans to not only support all school dances but sustain itself by advertising their skills and equipment for the entire school districts use at a small monetary fee. They hope to empower themselves and others and spread their love of music and school pride.

Operation Murdock Cares
Operation Murdock Cares is a group of School Store students who want to give back to a local nonprofit called Operation Winchendon Cares. They plan to purchase a high tech cash register that will improve their ability to keep track of merchandise and expand their store and stock. A percentage of the additional money they earn will to go directly to Operation Winchendon Cares to purchase care packages for home town soldiers stationed overseas.

Extreme Makeover: Field Edition
This Venture Team will be using several methods of fundraising to create a more accessible baseball field for all members of the community and school to enjoy. They will hold cleanups and install a new drainage system, build dugouts and install a new scoreboard. They hope to use their new baseball field to hold baseball summer camps for young children.