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Schools

Community Service, Civic Duty Motivate Whiz Kid

Michael Morell completed many hours of community service as a freshman

Whether fundraising for the high school yearbook or interacting with children during latchkey events, Fort Lee High School soon-to-be-sophomore and this week's "Whiz Kid" Michael Morell demonstrates the importance of community service and civic duty no matter how old you are.

Completing a full year of latchkey for community service as a freshman and doing well in high school academics, Morell constantly strives to be both an active member of the Fort Lee community and a certain success story.

Morell was vice president of the freshman student council at Fort Lee High School this year and plans to run for president during his sophomore year.

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“This year, we ran some fundraisers like the bake sale here and there, and also helped decorate walls for the pep rally,” Michael said. “For next year, we’re actually trying, for the first time, to hold a Field Day for the high school.”

The whiz kid was also a member of the yearbook committee, describing his role as both helping design the book and fundraising.

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“As committee member, we gathered students’ profiles, created and designed pages upon the school’s approval,” he said. “And one of the biggest parts of being on that committee was having a successful ice cream sale. That made big money of around $400.” 

Michael was not only a contributor of high school memories and an event planner, but also a latchkey volunteer at Fort Lee School No. 4. 

In the eighth grade Morell was accepted as a student in the high school's Academy of Finance. He said the program teaches students both the practical and business aspect of the financial world.

“We had a group contest where we created a restaurant, made a website and a marketing strategy,” he said. “We also had an ad contest, where you design an ad for a local company to use. Mine was chosen for the company Matisse Chocolatier to use.”

Morell may look like a typical 15-year-old, but when it comes to other qualities, he is anything but typical for his age. 

“He doesn’t really have time for leisure or things at home,” Michael’s mother Holly Morell said. “He’s either getting called early for a student council meeting or a fundraiser. There’s always something.”

Morell contributes to his community not only to earn school credits or make a name for himself, but also out of a strong sense of civic duty. Involvement in activities and getting recognition may help define a person for a portion of their lives, but the activities themselves that Morell participates in, such as raising funds for a yearbook or being a counselor in the town's day camp, which he starts on July 5, speak to his sincere concern for his school and community.

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