{"id":152981,"date":"2026-03-31T04:42:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/152981\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:42:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:42:07","slug":"meet-a-shillington-teen-who-wants-to-increase-community-engagement-berks-regional-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/152981\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet a Shillington teen who wants to increase community engagement | Berks Regional News"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story was produced by\u00a0the Berks County bureau of Spotlight PA<\/a>, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom. Sign up for Good Day, Berks, a daily dose of essential local stories at\u00a0spotlightpa.org\/newsletters\/gooddayberks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in Good Day, Berks \u2014 Spotlight PA\u2019s free daily newsletter for Berks County and your daily dose of Berks County essentials.\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s Community Spotlight honoree is Stella Belinski, 17, a junior at Governor Mifflin High School who volunteers in a variety of roles and is a community and economic development intern with the O\u2019Pake Institute at Alvernia University.<\/p>\n

This conversation, which took place in person, has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n

Good Day, Berks: Where do you live?<\/p>\n

Stella Belinski: Shillington<\/p>\n

Tell us a little about your family.<\/p>\n

My family includes my parents and my brother. I am also very close to my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.<\/p>\n

Tell us about your work and what you like about it.<\/p>\n

I enjoy being involved in the community and I like to stay busy. I\u2019m active at my church, Immanuel United Church of Christ in Shillington, and will be going on my fifth mission trip this summer in Guatemala.<\/p>\n

Right now, I\u2019m working as a community and economic development intern with the O\u2019Pake Institute at Alvernia University\u2019s Reading CollegeTowne campus. As an intern, I get to do hands-on work with nonprofits and other community programs. Right now I\u2019m researching methods of increasing civic engagement in Reading. It\u2019s a great experience because the culture at O\u2019Pake is so amazing. My mentors consistently empower me to lead with creative problem solving and critical thinking before seeking guidance. I am grateful to have a position where I can think outside the box, while also having a strong support system.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m learning so much and I\u2019m grateful to Governor Mifflin and Alvernia for giving me so many opportunities. I feel like I\u2019m doing important work that is truly making a difference.<\/p>\n

Tell us about a challenge you faced.<\/p>\n

I have struggled with anxiety and depression. While it can make it difficult to do all the things I want to accomplish, I have found ways to handle it and I am grateful to my family for being my support system.<\/p>\n

Favorite place to eat in Berks County?<\/p>\n

Spoonful Thai Bistro in West Reading is my favorite place to eat in Berks County. The Pad Thai there is amazing. A close second is Nonno Alby\u2019s, which is our family\u2019s favorite place to go for dinner. You can\u2019t beat the pizza there.<\/p>\n

Where would you take a visitor to in Berks and why?<\/p>\n

I would take a visitor to Nolde Forest. It has great hiking trails, and I love how the scenery changes as the seasons change. I especially love hiking at Nolde in the winter when the trees are covered in snow, and in the summer when the trees are in full bloom.<\/p>\n

What book, poem, song, or artwork is meaningful to you?<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a poem called\u00a0\u201cShe\u2019s a Bit Much\u201d by Lyndsay Rush<\/a>\u00a0that really speaks to me. I have it hanging above my bed to remind me every day to be myself. Also, I love to read, and I finished my 15th book this year. So far, my favorite is\u00a0The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo\u00a0by Taylor Jenkins Reid.<\/p>\n

Who in your life has had a great influence on you, and how did they influence you?<\/p>\n

My parents have had the most influence on me. Ever since I was little, they have shown me the importance of caring for and being engaged in my community. They are the reason I am so vocal about the things I care about. They have always supported me in everything that I do, and they encourage me to always be myself and try new things.<\/p>\n

This positive news for Berks County is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the United Way of Berks County, which is celebrating 100 years of service to the community.\u00a0Learn more here\u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0Become a supporter of Spotlight PA here.<\/a><\/p>\n