Schools

Centennial Student Helps Support Other North Fulton High Schoolers in Need

Drew Erickson, president of Young Men's Service League, Northeast Atlanta Chapter, led fellow members in a clothing drive to support in-need students at six North Fulton County schools.

Local student, Drew Erickson, has a passion for helping others and his efforts to collect clothing, of all things, haven't gone unnoticed. In fact, Erickson's work is quite important to high school students at six North Fulton schools who otherwise wouldn't have the clothing they need for school and daily life because of family hardship.

Erickson, president of the Young Men's Service League, Northeast Atlanta Chapter (YMSL), founded "Students Helping Students," during 2009 when he was only a freshmen in high school. The group began collecting and distibuting clothing to students locally. Now a junior, Erickson has banded together with some of his fellow YMSL members to hold seven clothing drives. In total, the group has provided over 1,000 bins of clothing to fellow students.

Because of his group's success, Erickson - a Johns Creek resident - has been able to expand the mission to also collect blankets and donate them to the homeless through the 7 Bridges ministry, said his mother, Amy Erickson.

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"One of the things I guess that I admire most about Drew is his natural ability to successfully navigate his life on his own terms," she said. "He respects diverse beliefs and sees value in every person and situation he encounters. He is intrinsically motivated in his athletic, academic and leadership pursuits and has learned that it is in the effort, not always the result, that determines your success."

As great as his charitable group is, Erickson's interests and goals don't end with just helping to provide students with clothing. He's also focused on making sure students throughout the state and the country are skilled for the future in becoming part of the U.S. workforce.

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This past Saturday, March 17, Erickson was elected to serve as the Georgia state officer for SkillsUSA, a national organization, which partners with educators, industry leaders and students at more than 13,000 school chapters throughout the country to ensure the U.S. trains a skilled future workforce. He heads to train for the position and then nationals in Kansas City during June.

For now, Erickson is focused on helping other students, while he continues his own studies with hopes of going to his top college choice, the University of Georgia; or a secondary choice, such as the University of South Carolina, the University of Florida or the University of Tennessee.


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