Oakville Senior High School Principal Eric Knost recently received an uplifting letter about one of his students whom Knost believes is a great role model for others.

Writing on behalf of Operation Safe Street, Executive Director Velma Bell informed Knost about the accomplishments of Tiya Gordon. Bell announced in her letter that Gordon had contributed 29 hours of volunteer service in 2003 to the Team Sweep Model Citizens program. As a Team Sweep Model Citizen, Gordon worked side by side with caring adults in her community to “team up” and confront problems of trash and litter and work on beautification projects.

“My grandmother’s street is kind of dirty and it’s in a real bad neighborhood. I wanted to do my part to help get her street cleaned up,” Gordon stated in a Mehlville School District news release. “Unfortunately, many of my friends are making bad choices and getting into trouble. So I got involved with Operation Safe Street because it was something good to do to help keep me out of trouble.”

A sophomore, Gordon is a St. Louis city resident and attends Oakville Senior High as part of the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corp. program. The 16-year-old volunteer is the daughter of Valerie Gordon and Chester Williams.