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Date: 2/8/2023
LUDLOW — Baird Middle School (BMS) Principal Melissa Knowles announced that eighth grader Tyler Tatro was selected as the 2023 BMS Project 351 ambassador.
Project 351 is a Massachusetts initiative that engages and empowers eighth grade students from each of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts to make a positive difference in their schools and communities.
“I like helping other people and making them happier. I was surprised to be selected as Project 351 ambassador but felt that I suited this position,” Tatro said.
Tatro is involved in many extracurricular activities and sports like basketball, soccer, cross country and track while also taking part in travel club. He was also elected president of the student council.
He has also been someone who wants to help the community and has been doing so since he was young.
In 2017, Tatro organized a lemonade stand that raised $500 for the Ronald McDonald House and in fourth grade he used his own money to purchase paint and restored a score-four playground game by cleaning the weeds and repainting it.
Tatro joined other 351 ambassadors from across the state for their inaugural meeting over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.
The meeting was organized to help ambassadors reflecting the core values of Project 351 which is “kindness, compassion, humility, and gratitude every day and in all ways.”
Ambassadors are invited to “unite, act and lead” for a year of inspirational service, empowering leadership training and teamwork with a statewide network of friends.
“It was an amazing experience,” Tatro said. “At first I was nervous and expecting some small projects that would help only a couple of people, but it was a whole system with different organizations designing projects that we could work on.”
Tatro and his group helped make fleece blankets for those who needed and cards for mothers who are sick in the hospital.
Tatro added, “After attending the event, I learned that everyone was so positive. I am not saying that my school isn’t positive, but I want to encourage everyone to be more positive and more friendly to everyone.”
He has already helped plan events at the school to spread positivity.
Some of these events include painting positive murals on a certain wall in BMS, a teacher versus students dodgeball game, as well as a glow in the dark and Valentine’s Day dance.
“I think these events will encourage kids to be more positive and content with each other while creating a fun environment,” Tatro said.
Tatro has more ideas for future fundraisers and will work with BMS staff and students to help his school, community and other organizations that need it.