Emporia State student-athletes logged 3,406 community service and engagement hours in the 2013-2014 academic year. With 370 students wearing a Hornet uniform that works out to over a full day’s work for every student-athlete on campus.
Community service and engagement is a pillar of Emporia State and NCAA Division II athletics. The objective of community engagement and service is to build relationships by bringing the Emporia and Flint Hills area communities together with Hornet Athletics to share experiences away from the field of competition.
“Community Service is a vital part of our student-athlete development program,” said Emporia State Senior Associate Athletic Director Carmen Leeds. “We strive to develop our student-athletes in the classroom, through athletic competition and within the community. The City of Emporia and the entire Flint Hills region is supportive of Emporia State Athletics and our student-athletes enjoy getting out and helping in the community to give support back to those in need. Each year our student-athletes participate in community service and hopefully this will develop a lifelong commitment to volunteerism.”
Hornet student-athletes were involved in over 30 different community service and engagement activities that spanned all age and socio-economic groups. The main events for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee were the Eighth Annual Senior Prom – a Hootin’ Hornet Hoedown, and Logan Avenue STREAM Day. The Senior Prom is a free event for adults 55 years or older that allows them to mix and dance with Hornet student-athletes in Emporia State’s Memorial Union Webb Hall. The STREAM Day saw all of the students of Logan Avenue Elementary School on the Emporia State campus with every sport providing a mini clinic as part of the day’s activities.
Other activities by the various sports programs include mentoring elementary students during lunch and breakfast, taking part in Clean Sweep Emporia – a community wide clean up project for the city of Emporia, the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics, Wahoo at the Zoo – a fundraising event for a new lemur exhibit at the David Traylor Zoo, Camp Alexander Haunted Trail and visits at assisted living facilities throughout the community.
“The Emporia area always show us support on and off the field, so this is our way to show our gratitude and to give back to the community,” said women’s track and field All-American and 2013-14 SAAC President Nikki Wetstein.
This is the third straight year the Hornets have accumulated over 3,000 hours of community service and engagement. In the last decade Emporia State student-athletes have logged over 25,000 hours of service to the Emporia region.
Source: http://www.esuhornets.com/news/2014/7/10/BB_0710143006.aspx