(Kearny, NJ—December 5, 2014) The Kearny chapter of UNICO National has sent a commendation letter to High Tech to honor Jared Machado of Harrison for his service to the community, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School.
Machado, a High Tech student, along with three students from Kearny High School, volunteered to assist the Kearny chapter of UNICO by undertaking various duties at its annual Christmas Party for Mentally and Physically Challenged Individuals. For four hours, Machado and the other students helped set up tables and chairs, assisted in distributing food and snacks, and even helped clean up once the Christmas Party ended.
“In today’s world where many young people are concerned only with video games, taking ‘selfies,’ and posting on Facebook, it’s refreshing and reassuring when a young person volunteers to help those less fortunate than himself,” states Louis Pandolfi, President of the Kearny chapter of UNICO in his letter addressed to Dr. Giammarella. “It is for this reason that I commend Jared Machado to you.”
Founded in 1922 in Waterbury, Connecticut, UNICO (Italian for “unique”) formed when a group led by Dr. Anthony P. Vastola banded together to establish a special, proud organization. Dr. Vastola's dream to orchestrate an Italian-American body dedicated to service, charitable works, higher education, and patriotism places community above fraternity. UNICO acts as a representative organization that showcases the contributions of Italian-Americans to the American way of life. Its sole purpose, to unite all Italian-Americans and motivate them to become more civic-minded, has resulted in UNICO switching to the acronym for “Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, and Opportunity.”