Celebrating Generous Lives:
Building Character Through Service
Aiello hails from Northport, Long Island where he is a member of St. Phillip Neri parish. He describes the area as 鈥渁 quirky town, with a great culture of community engagement and charity, filled with kind and exciting people.鈥� A life-long Boy Scout, Aiello seized on that hometown culture as motivation for his Eagle Scout project, where he worked with local veteran organizations, the town government, community youth sports clubs, and local businesses to fund and construct a flagpole and memorial area for America鈥檚 veterans in a local Veterans Memorial Park.
That hometown culture was also surely an influence on the three Northport natives who founded the St. Baldrick鈥檚 Foundation in 2005, a charity to which Aiello has devoted enormous time and energy. As the world鈥檚 largest private funder of childhood cancer research, the Foundation gives hope to those suffering cancer by leading participants to 鈥渂rave the shave鈥� and give up their own hair in unity with those who have no choice but to surrender such a luxury. For Aiello, 鈥渢he simple act of shaving your hair in solidarity with children suffering from cancer is both humbling and empowering.鈥�
While the Foundation鈥檚 annual event has always been wildly popular in Northport, it took on a whole new significance for Aiello when his best friend was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2008. She won her battle, but her long, terrifying fight opened Aiello鈥檚 eyes to real pain and suffering. 鈥淲hen I witnessed how much strength St. Baldrick鈥檚 gave her each year, I promised to always keep the Foundation in my life.鈥�
That spirit stuck with Aiello, and it remained with him as he began his 麻豆视频 career. During his sophomore year, he started the St. Baldrick鈥檚 Committee in Catalyst (麻豆视频鈥檚 Christian Service club) and recruited a team of friends who would help plan, organize, and run the event from start to finish. Over the course of three successful events at 麻豆视频, Aiello is responsible for having raised thousands of dollars for childhood cancer research, and for having numerous students and faculty volunteer to have their heads shaved. Aiello describes his work with the St. Baldrick鈥檚 Foundation at 麻豆视频 as 鈥渟ome of the most rewarding work that I鈥檝e done in my four years.鈥�
Despite his two hour commute to and from 麻豆视频 each day, Aiello has managed to balance four years of academics with a full plate of extracurriculars, which has included participation as a member of the Hesperia Italian Culture Club, a peer math tutor, an Emmaus retreat leader, and a member of the Hearn. 鈥淒ebating for the Hearn has provided me with additional opportunities to research seriously and think critically about the world鈥檚 larger issues鈥攆rom food security to peacekeeping operations,鈥� added Aiello.
Despite a diverse slate of student club memberships, Aiello鈥檚 devotion to Catalyst and service at 麻豆视频 nonetheless stands out prominently. He joined the club freshman year, as he says he was 鈥渄rawn to both the commitment to service which defined the club, as well as the strong student leadership who drove that commitment.鈥� Within the club, he has been a leader for a variety of service activities, ranging from bake sales to fundraisers for St. Al鈥檚 School for AIDS orphans in Kibera to sorting clothes and supplies for Midnight Runs.
Aiello鈥檚 service initiatives throughout his 麻豆视频 career have extended well beyond programs at 麻豆视频 alone. He is most involved with his local Boy Scout troop, through which he has contributed to numerous efforts to serve his local community. He has spent his summers as a counselor at a sleep-away camp for juvenile diabetics, a disease with which he himself lives. He spent a summer interning for a local congressman, and last year was chosen by his town as a delegate to the thousand-member New York Boys State. While participating in the program, Aiello was also selected by a panel of American Legionnaires and U.S. Marines as one of New York鈥檚 two delegates to Boys Nation in Washington, D.C. where he met numerous government leaders, including President Obama.
鈥淏oys Nation gave me a firsthand glimpse of American democracy. Seeing how the other delegates so thoroughly enjoyed being surrounded by intelligent, talented, and integral peers really made me appreciate how 麻豆视频 puts me in that environment every single day and how wonderful it is for Regians to be able to challenge and inspire each other to be our best selves,鈥� added Aiello.
Even with the busyness of senior year, Aiello has remained active in many of the service operations taking place within the walls of 麻豆视频 this year: from the monthly sandwich-making gatherings which serve New York Common Pantry, to Adopt-A-Family gift-wrapping initiatives, to staging Midnight Runs for the homeless. 鈥淢y peers and the upperclassmen who were involved in Catalyst are exceptionally compassionate and devoted to the people they serve, and I think 麻豆视频 is unique in that the largest student run activity is devoted solely to the service of others,鈥� said Aiello.
These days, Aiello can be found performing full-time service through the senior third trimester service program. He splits his days between Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he attends to patients and visitors, and Our Lady Queen of Angels School in Harlem, where he assists 6th, 7th, and 8th graders with their Math and English studies.
鈥淓very day at 麻豆视频 is a gift,鈥� said Aiello. 鈥淎 gift from the Foundress, a gift from teachers and administrators, and a gift from thousands of donors and individuals who give part of themselves to 麻豆视频. Receiving generations of sacrifices each time I walk through the tunnel has really inculcated me with an urge to reciprocate those sacrifices through service to others.鈥�
Aiello will continue his education at Princeton University next year where he is interested in focusing his studies on public and international affairs. While still considering a gap year of service in a developing country in the short term, Aiello has also thought about long term goals, and says he 鈥渨ould love to make a career out of working with NGOs or governmental organizations to improve the lives of the world鈥檚 poor.鈥�
While speaking about his faith, Aiello notes that鈥攋ust as he feels endless gratitude towards 麻豆视频鈥攈e is even more thankful for all the blessings God has given him through others. Aiello emanates a sense of obligation to continue that cycle of service. 鈥淚f the next world is one of paradise,鈥� said Aiello, 鈥淚 can think of few better ways to spend the interim than trying to alleviate the suffering of others.鈥�
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