By Tim Moran
Villager Editor
The 2026-2027 school year for members of the Beverly Area Planning Association’s Teen Service Corps has started off strong, with a plethora of service project ideas shared during the group’s first meeting of the year in late September.
More than 40 teenagers representing a variety of high schools and middle schools in the Beverly/Morgan Park area have joined the group this year. BAPA Teen Service Corps Director Kevin Schoenfeld said this year’s plan is to have all projects led exclusively by the teens.
“We are moving toward a fully teen driven service calendar this year,” Schoenfeld said. “Each month, the teens will vote on a cause or issue that will be the monthly theme of our service projects.”
This starts in October, when Teen Corps members will help many of the small businesses that call Beverly/Morgan Park home by decorating their storefronts for Halloween.
“They thought partnering with local businesses would be a great vehicle to get the word out and October being the month of Halloween is the perfect time to get in some marketing around the program.” Schoenfeld said.
In November, the group has already decided their service project will focus on food access and sustainability for those in Beverly/Morgan Park and nearby. The teens plan to work with local food pantries on addressing those concerns.
Monthly coffee and conversations at Smith Village will also continue through the end of May.
For more information visit
bapa.org/teen-service-corps/
