Governor Patrick welcomes students from across the state for MLK day of service

By Dan Adams, Globe Correspondent

Governor Deval Patrick today greeted hundreds of eighth-grade students from across the state who came to Boston for a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Under the initiative, called Project 351, each of the state’s 351 towns and cities chose a student “ambassador” who has demonstrated a commitment to service in his or her community.

The students, who were bused to Boston, gathered in the Great Hall of the State House this morning to hear Patrick, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray speak. Afterward, the students traveled to service sites around Boston, where they painted murals, made blankets for elderly residents of public housing and assembled care packages for children at a food bank.

Originally intended as a one-time event to coincide with Patrick’s 2011 inauguration, Project 351 was incorporated today as an ongoing non-profit, with Patrick as the honorary chairman, according to project organizers.

At the State House, Patrick reminisced about his childhood on the South Side of Chicago, where he grew up in a tenement. His said that although many families, including his own, were impoverished, neighbors watched out for each other.

“One thing we had was a sense of community,” Patrick said. “Every kid was under the jurisdiction of every parent on the street.... What those adults were trying to get across is that each of us has a stake in each other’s dreams.”

Menino told students they were helping to start a tradition of service.

“This is the beginning of a movement of young people making a difference,” Menino said. He called Boston “the Silicon Valley of volunteerism.”

At the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Towers, a public housing project for elderly and disabled residents of Boston, students sat around tables and painted panels for murals that will go up on alternating floors in the building. The murals feature some of King’s well-known quotes as well as several portraits of the late civil rights leader, who will be remembered Monday on the annual federal holiday commemorating his legacy.

David Resmini, an eighth-grade volunteer from Townsend, said he became interested in volunteerism after assisting his brother, who is deaf.

“I love impacting peoples’ lives,” Resmini said. “And it’s great to know there are other people like me out there.”

Patrick said that timing the event to coincide with the King holiday was appropriate.

“The reason to do it on Martin Luther King Day is that he so clearly understood the power of service and selflessness. You don’t often see that in public service anymore.”

Volunteer Kristen Meade, who helped organized the day’s events at the public housing site, said she was taken aback by the energy of her cadre of students.

“These guys are definitely the best and the brightest... I’m thoroughly impressed.”

Amanda Deskavich, who was chosen to represent South Deerfield, said the event was a kind of networking opportunity for engaged students like herself.

“Now, if you want to stand up and do something, there’s people you can call.”

Deskavich said that the legacy of King and other civil rights leaders is still relevant.

“They dedicated our lives to us. We’re the future they had in mind. It was meant for today.”

Globe Correspondent Dan Adams can be reached at dadams@globe.com.