Yellow Pages
Alicia Shapiro is used to being outdoors.
Whether it’s playing for her Select soccer team or kayaking with her family, the incoming Burlington-Edison High School senior always has a busy recreation schedule.
So when former senior and ASB President David Raish approached Shapiro in the spring with an opportunity to work with the Burlington parks department, she did what any kayaker would do — she dove right in.
The high-schooler took over for Raish in June as the parks advisory board’s student representative. Although she’s not 100 percent clear on her responsibilities with the board, she said she’s looking forward to the opportunity to get involved with the city.
She said she’ll likely be the liaison between the board and the school, and has already been asked to speak with classmates about potential projects.
During her first meeting at City Hall, she said she was nervous due in part to her being the only student there. She said she wasn’t sure what to expect, so she studied the board’s agenda in preparation.
“I got it in the mail and the first thing I said was ‘What is this?’” Shapiro said.
Her unfamiliarity didn’t stop her, though, as she met Mayor Ed Brunz and a number of city officials through Burlington Recreation Coordinator Christi Kinney, whose daughter played soccer with Shapiro.
Shapiro said her work with the high school’s Key Club, which helps out in various community efforts, should give her some experience in the types of activities she could be taking part in.
Being busy is nothing new for Shapiro, who participates in soccer and track for Burlington-Edison in addition to school and club memberships.
The new opportunity could also help Shapiro in her future endeavors — she said she wants to study environmental law and has applied to “a ton of” colleges on both the West and East coasts.
“Since I’m so involved with the school and other activities, I thought it’d be another way to work with the community,” Shapiro said.
