Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School senior Christian Silva is one of the founders of 305 United, a community service organization made up of students from five high schools. The organization helps people that are less fortunate.
Initially, the students met every Sunday for 12 weeks as they hammered out everyone’s roles and what programs they would undertake. Each student took a lead for a function based around holidays and back-to-school.
“I was in charge of Christmas,” he says. “We went to Camillus House. We all donated gifts. We bought gifts for the kids. They got more than one gift.”
They had the children line up and pick out what they wanted. The students also donated clothes that were given to the parents.
Silva also wanted to do something different so he took charge of inviting guests to speak to the 305 United members. The speakers included CEOs, politicians, an ex-convict and police officers.
The ex-convict told the students that he had made a poor decision and is forever regretting that decision.
The 305 United students also coordinated the shipment of medical equipment to Haiti. They sent donations such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes and first aid kits.
During the Christmas season, Silva usually volunteers at St. John Bosco Catholic Church, packing up food to be given to needy families. He also helps collect canned goods for the food drive.
Whenever possible, Silva goes to Blue Lakes Elementary School to work with disabled students.
“We play with them,” he says. “We see to their needs.”
He began volunteering at Blue Lakes because a friend’s mom worked there.
“I went one time and the kids were so nice and I had a blast,” he says. “I go whenever I can.”
At Archbishop Carroll, Silva is a student ambassador.
“We lead the school in eighth grade tours and open house,” he says.
Some of the ambassadors take care of parking lot duties for the tours while others conduct the tours and answer questions from the potential students and their parents.
“If they want us to give a speech, we’ll talk to parents and kids and tell them our experience,” he says.
Silva is a point guard or shooting guard on the basketball team. Last school year they went to the state tournament for the first time in school history, losing in the semi-finals to the eventual state champs.
“It was an amazing experience and I hope we can do it again this year,” he says. “We are all pumped for the season to start again so we can get there again.”
He hopes to be able to play basketball in college and has been talking to some colleges about the possibility. He’s hoping to play Division I or II school.
If he isn’t offered a basketball scholarship, he’d love to attend Clemson or Wake Forest. In state he’s considering Florida International University, FSU, USF and Florida Gulf Coast University.
He wants to become either an accountant like his grandfather or a civil engineer.
“I’m undecided between those two,” he says. “Math is my favorite subject.”
He interned with his grandfather over the summer and liked the work but he also loves the idea of being involved in building things like bridges. He plans to intern at an engineering company to see how he likes the work once basketball ends or during a school break.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
