Top Leo honors go to Blue Island student, again
Donna Vickroy dvickroy@southtownstar.com | (708) 633-5982 Apr 21, 2011 7:42AM
“Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.”
Frank A. Clark
Like a lot of Chicago’s smaller, older suburbs, Blue Island has its struggles.
The population is declining. The average school expenditure is less than the national average. And the cost of living is below that of many other suburban Cook County communities.
Yet, despite the challenges its residents face, the city produces an exorbitant number of compassionate students. Not only is the turnout for service-driven clubs and events continually high but, for five of the past six years, a student at Eisenhower High School has been honored with the countywide Leo of the Year award.
This year, that distinction goes to senior Matthew Taylor-Schultz, who learned he’d won when teacher/club sponsor Susan Hodges walked into the special education classroom where he was volunteering one week in March and screamed, “Guess what?”
The next thing Matt remembers is the room going up for grabs, with students cheering and clapping.
When asked to explain his generous spirit, Matt shyly shrugs and says: “I’ve always been a nice kid. I’ve always felt an obligation to help others. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just grateful for what I have, but I’m happy to help others.”
Matt’s been a member of the Leo Club, the high school affiliate of the Lions Club, all four years of his high school career.
This year, he is president. Last year, he was treasurer.
In addition to fundraising for leukemia and breast cancer research, Matt pitches in to run the school food drive, which helped feed 13 families this year. He also helps organize the annual special education prom coming up next month.
Outside of school, he helps community organizations such as Blue Cap and An Angel’s Touch.
Based in Blue Island, Blue Cap provides education, therapy and vocational assistance to children and adults with developmental disabilities.
An Angel’s Touch provides assistance to needy Blue Island families with food during the year, gifts at Christmastime that students actually deliver on Christmas Day and used clothing, as needed.
“I know the family who started Angel’s Touch,” Matt said. “I also have friends whose family members have lost jobs.”
In addition to his impressive service record, Matt is a top student who enjoys being involved with choir, drama and the school newspaper.
He plans to attend Elmhurst College after graduation but he’s not sure of a major yet.
“Maybe nursing, maybe public relations,” he said.
For now, Matt joins the ranks of previous Leo Award winners: Stephanie Horvath, Alicia Johnson, Sara Spadoni and Stephanie Young.
By their nature, service clubs attract students with big hearts. So you might say competition for this award is fierce, even within a single school, let alone across the countywide 1A district.
Hodges, who nominated Matt this year, has run the Eisenhower Leo Club for the past nine years.
When asked to explain the extraordinary track record, she stated simply, “I’ve got good kids.”
Many of the 40 to 50 students who participate each year are members for all four of their high school years.
Of Matt, she said, he has a great sense of humor and a natural touch with people, especially the special education students.
“A couple of these kids who are especially challenged can’t remember anything but they remember Matt’s name,” she said.
Leo of the Year Award is determined by members of Lions Club International, among the largest service organizations in the world with 1.35 million members in 206 countries. The group, which focuses primarily on providing glasses and services to the visually impaired, was begun in 1917 by Melvin Jones, a Chicago businessman.
There are currently five Leo Clubs in Cook County. Every year at a spring convention, a committee of Lions Club members chooses the student Leo of the Year recipient, based on the individual’s volunteer record and the recommendation of a faculty member.
Joan McMillan is a member of the Mount Greenwood Lion’s Club. She said it is in some ways fitting that so many Leo of the Year recipients attend a District 218 school.
The first Leo Club in Illinois, McMillan said, was started at fellow 218 school Richards in Oak Lawn in 1969.
What, if anything, does this say about kids from the Southland?
That their hearts are as big as their dreams.
