Written by Erika Renkl |

Shelby Mehmet, a junior here at Morgan, was recently featured in the Harbor News for her involvement in the community. She received the Cristo Jewelers Valentine’s Day Facebook Contest award. This annual contest is an award for someone in the community “who epitomizes love.” Shelby was nominated for the award by her babysitting employer and was chosen by Mari Lee, the manager at Cristo Jewelers for her selflessness in the school and community. She received a pair of diamond earrings and a $500 check to attend driving school this spring.

Shelby is actively involved in the community and the school.  She participates in Partners in Community and sits as a student representative in the Clinton Board of Education. She is a member of REACT and is always looking for new activities to join. Recently, she devoted her seventeenth birthday to doing seventeen random acts of kindness around the town and school, such as writing positive notes to brighten people’s day.

I recently met up with Shelby to talk about her involvement in the community.

Morgan PawPrint: How do you involve yourself here at Morgan?

Shelby Mehmet: I’m the co-vice president of REACT with Jess Acetta, in Peer Advoctes, and part of Partners in Community. Liz and I started You Never Know, but we haven’t really been doing much with that lately.

MP: What impact do you think you personally have in the school?

SM: Well, I hope to make a difference to someone, and if I do that’s awesome.

MP: You recently won the Cristo Jewelers Valentine’s Day Facebook Contest. How do you feel about that? Were you expecting any of it?

SM: I didn’t expect any of it. I’m very thankful.

MP: Why do you like to involve yourself so much in the community?

SM: I want to make a difference to someone, and I feel like that’s how I’ll do it.

MP: What advice do you have for people who want to get involved and make a difference here at Morgan?

SM: Don’t be afraid to stand against the crowd and do what you want. Stand up for yourself. Trust your gut if you feel like something is not right or should be changed.

MP: What specifically have you done so far in the town and overall community?

SM: I’m a student representative on the Board of Education where I provide input on events in the school. I’m also in Partners in Community where I help with the Family Olympics, conversation cards, and drug take-back day at the Police Department.

MP: What plans do you have for future involvement in the community?

SM: I plan to stay involved and continue to be involved in college and whereever I end up in life. I don’t currently have any immediate plans for the future.

I look forward to seeing what Shelby does next in the community and how she involves herself in the world!