BOSTON — Jacob Gunnison of Middleboro and Shaan Barnick of Lakeville have one thing in common: they are both passionate about giving back to their communities. 

On Saturday, Jan. 13, both students traveled to Boston to begin their roles as ambassadors for Project 351, a statewide organization that selects an eighth grader from every single town in Massachusetts and provides them with leadership training. The student ambassadors for Project 351 will also participate in several community service projects throughout the year.

“It was really incredible,” Barnick said of his first day with Project 351 on Saturday. “It was such a wonderful experience to have.”

The day started with training and inspirational speakers, Barnick explained, before the ambassadors went off to participate in different community service projects in Boston. Barnick spent part of the day volunteering at Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit that fights child poverty.

One exciting part of Project 351, Barnick explained, was the chance to meet students from different towns all throughout Massachusetts.

“I met a bunch of people from Springfield which is all the way out west,” Barnick said. “I love meeting people. [We] would never have met if I hadn't gone through this experience.”

Giving back is something that comes naturally to both students.

Gunnison, a student at Nichols Middle School, said that “helping people is something I've always wanted to do.” He wants to become a surgeon later in his life, but Project 351 will help him get a jump start on his goal to help others.

“I was just so glad that I could be part of something bigger than myself,” Gunnison said about being selected as an ambassador. He said he was looking forward to a September 2024 community service project with Project 351 that would involve helping veterans.

“Many of them have suffered losses for our country,” Gunnison said. “I feel like it's great to honor [veterans] and remember all that they've done for us so we can live happy normal lives in America.”

Barnick said that a big part of his passion for community service came from participating in Boy Scouts. “I really like to know that I’m making a difference,” he said.

On Saturday, Project 351 provided the ambassadors with statistics measuring the impact that volunteering has. That made an impression of Barnick, he said.

“Even if everyone in my school gave one or two non-perishable food donations to a food pantry, then that would still [be about] 600-plus donations, which goes a very long way,” he explained.

“There’s no age limit to help people,” Barnick said. “Anyone can go out and help people.”