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Student Gives 'From The Heart'

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By MEGAN HUSSEY

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 22, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - From the Big Brothers Big Sisters program to the Special Olympics, 17-year-old Caitlin Matthews devotes much of her time to charitable causes.

"It's always been important to me to help other people," said Matthews, a senior at River Ridge High School. "I wouldn't feel the same if I didn't give to others."

The New Port Richey resident gives back in a number of ways. Once a week, she volunteers as a member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, acting as a mentor to a New Port Richey elementary student.

"I help him with homework and hang out with him," she said. "It's the most amazing experience to be able to help this little kid and to hear him say, 'Thank you.'

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Matthews conducts much of her philanthropic work in conjunction with the Diversified Career Training program at River Ridge High School. The program, overseen by coordinator Jackie Corbin, gives students scholastic credit for volunteer and work experience to prepare them for life after graduation.

"I teach many outstanding seniors each year, and Caitlin is a quiet, reserved senior who is an unspoken hero in my eyes," Corbin said. "She doesn't do the work that she does for glory. She does it from the heart."

Aside from her work with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Matthews and other career training students have conducted hearing screenings at local schools and staged a fundraising booth at this year's River Ridge Special Olympics event.

"Ms. Corbin inspires me to do this work," Matthews said. "She wants us all to get out there and help people."

Prior to her involvement with the training program, Matthews got some early community-service experience as a member of River Ridge High's Key Club during her freshman and sophomore years.

"We cleaned up the roads and helped with a fall festival," she said.

Another component of Matthews' program work is occupational experience. She gets school credit for her work as a sales associate at iParty, a party-goods store in New Port Richey where she has worked for nearly two years.

"It's a fun job," she said.

Back at school, she's a member of the National Honor Society and placed second in a district speech competition hosted by the Business Professionals of America, an organizational component of the training program.

Also in the realm of public speaking, she did a reading of the poem "The Dash" by Linda Ellis at the recent Volunteers: The Crown Jewels of Our Pasco Community, the 2008-2009 Recognition Luncheon for RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) Outstanding Volunteers.

In the future, Matthews hopes to study elementary education in college and become a teacher. She also would like to begin an after-school program for kids in need.

"I want to set up a program like Big Brothers Big Sisters, an after-school club where they can join clubs and do activities," she said. "A place for them to go.

"That's my dream," she said.

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