A junior at Academy of Notre Dame, Addison Gress is a member of Notre Dame’s Campus Ministry, and has provided community service at St. Francis Inn and the Fr. Bill Atkinson Service Corps, as well as other community service projects. She attended Notre Dame’s recent service trip to New Orleans, and is a student ambassador, working with the Admissions Office on providing campus tours for prospective students and families. She also plays field hockey and golf for the Academy of Notre Dame. Outside of school, Gress is a part of the team Stronger for a Cause in the Student Visionaries of the Year fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Main Line Media News: What was the most meaningful experience you had in your various community service projects?
Addison Gress: The most meaningful experience I’ve had is the kindness of the people we are serving. No matter what hardships these people are facing it doesn’t stop them from being personable and putting a smile on their faces. The first time I really did direct service was this summer at the iCanShine Bike program that Notre Dame hosts. Something I didn’t know going into the camp was that after these kids learned how to ride a bike it would inspire them and give them the confidence to try other sports. I took the mentality I gained from that experience to assist me in the other community service I was doing.
Main Line Media News: What sparked your interest in joining the Fr. Bill Atkinson Service Corps? Tell us a little about its activities. What do you find most inspiring about Fr. Bill Atkinson’s story?
Addison Gress: After having a positive experience at iCanShine this summer, when the opportunity to volunteer for the Service Corps presented itself I couldn’t say no. One of the times I volunteered for the Service Corps, we organized used shoes that were being donated to those who were less fortunate, and another time we scrimmaged in basketball. What I like about the Service Corps is how friendly its members are and how comfortable it is doing service with them. From what I’ve heard about Father Bill, I know that his positive and nurturing attitude was not affected by his accident, it may have even inspired it, which I find to be the most admirable thing about him. His strength and perseverance are reflected in the Service Corps.
Main Line Media News: You attended Notre Dame’s recent service trip to New Orleans. What was your most interesting experience on that service trip?
Addison Gress: We volunteered at the Arc of Greater New Orleans which is an organization that organizes and resells Mardi Gras beads so fewer new beads need to be manufactured every year. This organization is making an effort to make Mardi Gras more eco-friendly, and doing environmental service work was a first for me. It was unique to the kinds of service we find at home, which is why I think doing it made it so special. Aside from the service we were doing, on our second day in New Orleans, we attended a Gospel Mass at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Parish which was honestly an unforgettable experience. The Church community was so welcoming, and the mass was so engaging and lively, it was like nothing I’d ever experienced before.
Main Line Media News: As a student ambassador, what is your favorite part of the campus tours? What has been the most interesting question you have been asked by tourists?
Addison Gress: Since sixth grade, when I became an ambassador, giving tours at Notre Dame’s Open Houses has always been something I enjoy doing. Meeting new students and families and showing them around a campus that has become so comfortable to me is something I cherish as my final year at Notre Dame is approaching. Prospective students and families always find the dance classes that Notre Dame offers to be the most interesting, and I tend to get a few questions about them. The dance classes I have taken over the years have been some of my favorite classes so I always encourage the girls to consider taking dance if they come!
Main Line Media News: What sparked your interest in joining the team Stronger for a Cause in the Student Visionaries of the Year fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society? Tell us a little about its activities.
Addison Gress: The Student Visionaries of the Year fundraiser is a seven-week competitive fundraising campaign in which you compete against other students in the area to see whose team can raise the most money. Two girls at Notre Dame started the team, Stronger for a Cause, and were asking other juniors to join their team and be members. I joined as a team member, with a couple of friends, not expecting to play a significant role on the team, but once the fundraising started I became really passionate about raising as much money as I could and had a very successful campaign. Throughout the campaign, we had fundraisers at Crumbl Cookies, Anthony’s, and P.J. Whelihans. As a whole, the team I was a part of raised $55,000 and was one of the top four teams in the area.
Main Line Media News: What is your favorite book, and why?
Addison Gress: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid is my favorite book. I found out after I finished it that the band in the book was inspired by Fleetwood Mac, who is one of my favorite artists, which made me love this book even more.
(To be selected as Main Line Student of the Week, a student must first be nominated by his or her school.)
To view a gallery of the previous Main Line Students of the Week click here
