Natalia Feliciano Wins 2025 John Ward Award

Jesse Lee ASP is excited to announce that the winner of the 2025 John Ward “Love in Action” Scholarship Award is Natalia Feliciano.

Natalia is a recent graduate of Ridgefield High School and a 3-year participant of Appalachia Service Project.

At RHS Natalia was involved in sports, playing lacrosse and swimming.  She also founded the school’s first Latino affinity group, leading bi-weekly meetings and planning cultural events.  She established a connection between Jericho partnership (Christian nonprofit in Danbury) and Ridgefield High School, starting an initiative for students at RHS to tutor middle schoolers at Jericho biweekly.  She was an Ambassador/Panelist for No Place for Hate and was elected to speak on identity and inclusion in school-wide panels sharing experiences to address bias and increase cultural awareness.  She was also a member of National Honor Society.

In the community Natalia was secretary for the Youth Against Cancer Society and a founder of the Weekender Bags Program at Jericho supporting food insecure students.  She also was a swim coach at Lakeside Field Club.

This fall Natalia will be attending Boston University (Kilachand Honors College) where she plans to major in International Business and minor in Spanish.   We are very pleased to present her with this award.

The John Ward Love in Action Award was established by Jesse Lee ASP in 2017 to honor John Ward’s 30th Appalachia Service Project Trip. It is a $1000 grant given each year to a high school senior who has participated in ASP and dedicated themself to other forms of community service.

John Ward

Winners of the John Ward Award have been:

  • 2025 – Natalia Feliciano
  • 2024 – Abby Seal
  • 2023 – Henry Idone
  • 2022 – Parker Etzbach
  • 2021 – Kate Fleming
  • 2020 – Matt Carpenter
  • 2019 – Miles Tullo
  • 2018 – Gillian Retter
  • 2017 – Petros Papadopolous

312 Jesse Lee ASP Volunteers Head Down South

A record 312 high-school students and adults from Ridgefield depart on Sat., June 28 on their annual Appalachia Service Project (ASP) mission trip, working to make homes “warmer, safer and drier” in West Virginia and Kentucky.

Based out of Jesse Lee Church, Jesse Lee ASP is in its 41st year and is one of the largest local ASP groups in the country. The total of 312 volunteers means that more than 1 percent of Ridgefield’s population will be away on the mission trip!

The volunteers will depart early Saturday morning after a commissioning ceremony at Jesse Lee with family and friends. They will split up, working next week in Fayette, Kanawha and Nicholas counties in West Virginia, and in Leslie County, Kentucky. Crews of two adults and five students team up to repair, build or replace roofs, foundations, floors, mobile-home underpinning and wheelchair ramps, while also developing relationships with the homes’ residents. They’ll eat and sleep in “centers” organized and operated in schools and churches by the national ASP organization.

Saturday’s departure celebration includes recognition of 21 teens who have participated in ASP during all four years of high school. They are: Alyssa Bello, Trevor Chojnacki, Emmet Deacy, Sullivan Dunn, Austin Etzbach, Alex Glenn, Rose Idone, Adam Janzon, Theo Janzon, Magnus Manley, Ella Margolus, Aidan Mignano, Lloyd Mills, Shawn Overlock, Parker Prokopczyk, Lucas Reiner, Emily Seal, Dakota Smith, Charlotte Suozzi, Julie Uecker and Betsy Vanni.

Additionally, another recent RHS graduate, Natalia Feliciano, was named the recipient of the John Ward Love in Action Award, a $1,000 scholarship established in 2017 that honors John Ward, who is in his 37th year of participating in Jesse Lee ASP. The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who has been on ASP at least once and who has committed to ongoing community service in other arenas besides ASP.

The ASP volunteers will return to Ridgefield in a long honking caravan on Sun., July 6 around 5 p.m. for a welcoming reception at Jesse Lee. For an updated time of return, watch the website www.jesseleeasp.org that Sunday afternoon.

Funds to support Jesse Lee ASP’s work were raised through car washes held at Jesse Lee on Saturdays this spring, from “stock” sold by participants, and through gifts from the Jesse Lee congregation.

Jesse Lee ASP will celebrate its 2025 work in two ways: with an ice cream social at the church on Sat., July 12 at 6:30 p.m. featuring a slide show of all the crews’ experiences; and a special Sunday-morning service on July 13 at 9:30 a.m.  All are invited to both.

Appalachia Service Project is a national Christian volunteer organization whose participants make an annual weeklong mission trip where they work to make local folks’ homes “warmer, safer and drier.” Since its founding in 1969, more than 465,000 volunteers from across the nation have repaired 20,500 substandard homes in low-income areas of central Appalachia.

Jesse Lee ASP is open to anyone who has completed their freshman year of high school.

Adult & Young Adult PreTrip Meetings

There are three important crew leader meetings prior to our trip.

New Adult Volunteer Meeting – This meeting is for first time adults who are joining the trip.  The topics covered will include expectations of our adults, how we accomplish JLASPs goals, ideas on how to get the most our of the youth and some little tips that we have found make all the difference.  There will be a review of the Week at ASP, but this time from the adult crew leader perspective.

Young Adult Meeting – This is a meeting just for our Young Adult crew leaders.  A YA is someone who graduated high school at least one year ago but is not yet 25 years old.  Most of our young adults have participated with JLASP in the past.  We will discuss the expectations and responsibilities of our YAs as well as some of the differences between this role and that of a youth or adult.   There will be discussions of potential scenarios and a forum on how to be a good role model.

All Leader PreTrip Meeting – This will be the last time the center leadership teams will be together before the ASP week.  This meeting is for all adult and young adult crew leaders.  We will discuss finances, travel and vehicle logistics, accommodations, and any new policy or procedures.  The group will then break out into centers where the center leaders can discuss and review any specifics for their group.

 

Jesse Lee ASP Info Meeting – Jan 22 @ 7:30

High-school teens and adults are invited to an information session on Wed., Jan. 22 offering details about a meaningful week of volunteer home repair this summer with the Jesse Lee Appalachia Service Project (ASP).

This no-obligation meeting will introduce students and their parents – and any other interested adults – to the Appalachia Service Project overall, and especially to the developing plan for Jesse Lee ASP’s 41st year: a mission trip June 28-July 6.

The one-hour information session will start at 7:30 p.m. at Jesse Lee Church, 207 Main St.  Meet in the sanctuary.

ASP is a national Christian volunteer organization founded by the Rev. Glenn “Tex” Evans, a Methodist minister, in 1969. Since then, more than 430,000 volunteers from across the nation have participated in weeklong mission trips to make 19,000 homes in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina “warmer, safer and drier.”

Jesse Lee ASP is one of the largest local ASP groups in the country. Last summer, 268 Ridgefield volunteers repaired and improved homes in Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Jesse Lee ASP is open to anyone who will have completed their freshman year of high school this summer. Adults are urgently encouraged to volunteer – both those who have teens participating and those who don’t. You don’t have to be a member of Jesse Lee or any church, you don’t have to live in Ridgefield, and you don’t need to be an expert with a hammer to volunteer. Basic construction skills and safety rules are taught in training sessions prior to going on ASP. There’s also a fund-raising component. And it helps if you like ice cream.

You don’t have to pre-register for the Jan. 22 information session.

Previous ASP volunteers need not attend the Jan. 22 meeting. However, they should plan to attend one of the required “first orientation” meetings scheduled for Wed., Feb. 5 and Tues., Feb. 11. Choose one.

For more details, go online to www.jesseleeasp.org or call Deb Ahle (203-438-6782) or Sandy Carpenter (203-470-4328).

Abby Seal Wins 2024 John Ward Award

Jesse Lee ASP is excited to announce that the winner of the 2024 John Ward “Love in Action” Scholarship Award is Abigail Seal.

Abby is a recent graduate of Ridgefield High School and a 3-year participant of Appalachia Service Project.

At RHS Abby was involved in sports, playing field hockey and serving as team captain her senior year.  She was also active in student government all four years, serving as class president her senior year.

In the community, Abby was active with Saferides of Ridgefield, the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation Junior Board and the Ridgefield Field Hockey Program.  In addition to lots of babysitting, she has worked at Tiger Sports and Bailey’s Backyard.

This fall Abby will be attending The University of St. Andrews in Scotland where she plans to study neuroscience.   We are very pleased to present her with this award.

John Ward

The John Ward Love in Action Award was established by Jesse Lee ASP in 2017 to honor John Ward’s 30th Appalachia Service Project Trip. It is a $1000 grant given each year to a high school senior who has participated in ASP and dedicated themself to other forms of community service.

Winners of the John Ward Award have been:

  • 2024 – Abby Seal
  • 2023 – Henry Idone
  • 2022 – Parker Etzbach
  • 2021 – Kate Fleming
  • 2020 – Matt Carpenter
  • 2019 – Miles Tullo
  • 2018 – Gillian Retter
  • 2017 – Petros Papadopolous

Henry Idone Wins 2023 John Ward Award

Jesse Lee ASP is excited to announce that the winner of the 2023 John Ward “Love in Action” Scholarship Award is Henry Idone.

Henry is a recent graduate of Ridgefield High School and a 3-year participant of Appalachia Service Project.

Henry is involved in sports, playing hockey and tennis.  At RHS he played cello in the symphonic orchestra.  He also was part of the Future Business Leaders of America, the Math Team, the Investment Club and Music Mentors. 

In memory of his grandfather, Henry co-founded the Ridgefield Community Cello Ensemble to bring student cellists (from 7th to 12 grade) together to perform at local nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

This fall Henry will be attending Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts where he plans to study data science and business.   We are very pleased to present him with this award.

John Ward

The John Ward Love in Action Award was established by Jesse Lee ASP in 2017 to honor John Ward’s 30th Appalachia Service Project Trip. It is a $1000 grant given each year to a high school senior who has participated in ASP and dedicated themself to other forms of community service.

Winners of the John Ward Award have been:

  • 2023 – Henry Idone
  • 2022 – Parker Etzbach
  • 2021 – Kate Fleming
  • 2020 – Matt Carpenter
  • 2019 – Miles Tullo
  • 2018 – Gillian Retter
  • 2017 – Petros Papadopolous

174 JLASP Volunteers Repair Homes in Virginia

High-school students and adults from the Ridgefield area are on their annual Appalachia Service Project mission trip this week, with 174 volunteers working to make homes “warmer, safer and drier” in two counties in Virginia.

Based out of Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church, Jesse Lee ASP is in its 39th year and is one of the largest local ASP groups in the country.

The 174 traveling volunteers departed early Saturday morning after a commissioning ceremony at Jesse Lee with family and friends. They split up, working this week in Wise and Dickenson counties in western Virginia. Crews of two adults and four students team up to repair, build or replace roofs, foundations, mobile-home underpinning and wheelchair ramps, while also developing relationships with the homes’ residents. They’re eating and sleeping in “centers” organized and operated in schools and churches by the national ASP organization.

Saturday’s departure celebration included recognition of 10 Ridgefield teens who have participated in ASP during all four years of high school. They are: Max Barlow, Sophie Browning, Maya Chauhan, Ryder Dadasovich, Caroline DelGiudice, Alex Doman, Kenny Muller, Matt Neligan, Henry Osher and Alex Prokopczyk.

Additionally, another recent RHS graduate, Hank Idone, was named the recipient of the John Ward Love in Action Award, a $1,000 scholarship established in 2017 that honors John Ward, who is in his 35th year of participating in Jesse Lee ASP. The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who has been on ASP at least once and who has committed to ongoing community service in other arenas besides ASP.

The ASP volunteers will return to Ridgefield in a long honking caravan on Sun., July 9 around 5 p.m. for a welcoming reception at Jesse Lee. For an updated time of return, watch the website www.jesseleeasp.org on Sunday afternoon.

Funds to support Jesse Lee ASP’s work were raised through car washes held at Jesse Lee on Saturdays this spring, from “stock” sold by participants, and through gifts from the Jesse Lee congregation.

Jesse Lee ASP will celebrate its 2023 work in two ways: with an ice cream social at the church on Sat., July 15 at 6:30 p.m. featuring a slide show of all the crews’ experiences; and a special Sunday-morning service at Jesse Lee on July 16 at 9:30 a.m. All are invited to both.

In addition to the volunteers working this week in Virginia, two Ridgefield women are working in Appalachia all summer as paid ASP staff members. Claire Dollins is program manager at ASP’s main center in Jonesville, VA, while Bella Lussi is finance coordinator in Breathitt County, KY. Their tasks include helping to evaluate applications from homeowners, stocking the “center” with tools and supplies, planning and overseeing home repairs, hosting and assisting the weekly teams of volunteers, and much more.

Appalachia Service Project is a national Christian volunteer organization whose participants make an annual weeklong mission trip where they work to make local folks’ homes “warmer, safer and drier.” Since its founding in 1969, more than 420,000 volunteers from across the nation have repaired 18,500 homes in central Appalachia.

Jesse Lee ASP is open to anyone who has completed their freshman year of high school.

For more information about the local Appalachia Service Project, call Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church at (203) 438-8791 or go to www.jesseleeasp.org.

Registration Limitation

The number of adult volunteers signed up for the trip dictate the number of youth we are able to take.  Based on that number, we will be instituting a waiting list for any additional youth who are interested in attending this year.

  • If you are an adult or college student, we welcome you to register.
  • If you are a youth whose parent is also going on the trip, we welcome you to register.
  • If you are a youth who has attended one of the first orientation sessions or has already spoken with us, and are not registered, please register immediately.
  • All other youth are encouraged to sign up and will be placed on the waiting list in the order in which you submit your registration.

We continue to look for additional adults to go on the trip and often registered youth need to drop out, so there is the possibility of coming off the waiting list.  Should this not be the case, a full refund will be given.