Story by Barry Wise Smith and Photo by Brit Huckabay
Addison Lusco, Thompson High School Class of 2022, is not resting on her laurels for her senior year. Chair of the Connection’s Column for the Alabaster Teen Council, Addison is also President of the National Honor Society; a member of Beta Club, Leo Club, and Mu Alpha Theta math honor society; and co-founder of the STEM Girls Club with her friend Abby McGee.
“I love being part of the Alabaster Teen Council,” Addison says. “It gives teenagers a chance to give back to the city and encourages teen involvement with the community. It’s a collaborative environment creating space for teens to be involved in their community in meaningful ways.”
The Alabaster Teen Council is a youth service organization focused on exposing youth leaders to municipal government, volunteerism, and philanthropy—as well as planning and executing fun and safe events for their peers. Teen Council members must be high school students, residents of Alabaster, and serve 25 hours of community service—although most members exceed this by double each year. Students are selected through an application process in the spring.
“The students’ experience on the Teen Council teaches them invaluable life lessons on the importance of team work, collaboration, and communication to achieve a common goal,” says Alabaster Teen Council Director Karen Fillingim. “Teen Council is not a spectator sport—it is 100 percent student driven. Even though most of the things we do are very visible, I am especially proud of what they do behind the scenes. With the concession stand money they earn throughout the year at our events, these young leaders give 100 percent of the earnings to support local charities. It is a joy to see them grasp the value of giving back and making a positive impact on our community through giving.”
On September 11th, the Teen Council will host their annual Back to School Bash at Veteran’s Park. The event was canceled last year due to Covid 19, so this year’s event will be different. The Council is hosting a charity co-ed flag football tournament featuring 16 teams playing in a bracketed tournament format. There will be food trucks and other activities to celebrate the beginning of the new school year.
As for Addison, she will head to college next fall planning to major in
science. “I love science, math, humanities, and writing,” she says. “Learning is my favorite thing ever! I’m so excited to experience and embrace all the festivities and traditions of senior year and have the senior year I’ve always imagined.
In June, Central State Bank awarded $1,000 scholarships to three Alabaster Teen Council senior members: Riley Ward and Dreka Caffey from Thompson High School and Ryleigh Hughes from Alabama Connections Academy/Homeschool.