By Danielle Ray
Landmark Correspondent
HOLDEN — The excitement was contagious when Ekaavli Daga received word she had been selected as the Project 351 New England Patriots Foundation Game Day Intern.
The 16-year-old Wachusett Regional High School junior was on vacation with her family in July when she lost her phone in the house where they were staying. After finding it later that day, she noticed a message from Alex Richardson, program manager of Advanced Leadership Development at Project 351, asking that she call him.
“I did, and he told me the amazing news!” Daga recalled. “I was super thrilled, and my family was so excited, too. My sister actually screamed during the phone call when we found out.”
The lifelong town resident was selected to be a Project 351 Ambassador during her 8th grade year. As an alum and now Patriots Foundation intern, Daga is still heavily involved with the organization. Project 351, founded in 2011, unites eighth grade ambassadors, one from every city and town in the Commonwealth, who participate in a year of leadership development, enrichment and impact through service opportunities.
The program’s motto is: Uniting Massachusetts through youth service and leadership. As an alumnus, there are additional opportunities to serve.
While her official two-year intern stint starts next summer and continues through the end of the summer after she graduates, Daga has remained active with Project 351 since her time as an ambassador as part of the Alumni Mentoring Corps. This year she was assigned a group of 10 eighth-graders to mentor for a year, something she said she has thoroughly enjoyed.
“Watching my Ambassadors grow individually and as a team, and seeing them begin to love Project 351 as much as I do has been such a rewarding and fun experience,” Daga said.
She is taking the intern reins from fellow town resident and Project 352 alum Gabriela Hamburger Medailleu, who is wrapping up her time as an intern. Daga will be attending all Patriots home games and working with the foundation “to help them with the charity work they do.”
“So far, I have helped raise money for Scholastic Book Fairs and raise awareness for different causes during the first preseason Patriots game,” she said. She was at Gilette Stadium with Hamburger Medailleu on Aug. 10.
Daga said she is honored to be chosen for this unique service role and that this opportunity, along with her overall time with Project 351, is beneficial to her not only as a student but as a person.
“I’m beyond grateful that Project 351 and the Patriots Foundation believe this much in me, and I’m determined to do my best and will strive to make them proud,” she said. “This opportunity allows me to meet and learn from so many inspiring people. I am grateful because they have and continue to teach me so much about leadership, empathy, and the impact one teenager can make on their community.”
