Students Helping in their New Home
28 August 2010 Students Helping in their New Home
Bright and early, the members of the Classes of 2014 gathered on the Quad, ready to embark on a day of community service. This years first Day of Service sent more than 625 students into schools, parks, churches and more, helping students explore the ways in which they can make their new community a better place to live and learn.
Ive done community service before, said Alexa Crivelli 14 of Ewing, N.J., as she pulled a particularly stubborn weed from Geneva High Schools landscaping. Today were really getting our hands dirty.
Students got down to work lending a hand at more than 30 sites including clearing debris at Kashong Conservation area, leveling baseball fields for Geneva Little League, and sorting donated clothes for the needy at St. Peters Church. It always feels good to help out a community, said Juan OFarrill 14 of West Palm Beach, Fla. Because of this, students will grow to appreciate helping people.
I remember feeling that I was really experiencing the Geneva community, recalled Orientation Mentor Andrew Robichaud 13 of Natick, Mass., of his Orientation Day of Service just one year ago. Last year he stained park benches, and this year Robichaud spread mulch in front of the Geneva Middle School. Its good to help out your new home.
Susan McGowan, a social worker with Geneva City schools, helped HWS students with their work. Its great to have the help, said McGowan. A lot of the first-year students come in from out of town, and dont know Geneva. This is a way to see and experience Geneva; a way to get students off campus and build a connection between Geneva and HWS.
This has a big impact on the school, said McGowan. When the High School and Middle School students arrive next week, the school will look warm and welcoming, and that is extremely important for the kids.
Geneva High School Principal Bill Rotenberg 87 already felt a strong connection with the students of HWS before this morning. Aside from being a Hobart graduate, he also sees many of the Colleges students throughout the school year. Weve had tons of students here for student teaching, mentor programs, and many other activities, explained Rotenberg.
Orientation Mentor Kazia Berkley-Cramer 13 of Maynard, Mass., could see the change of attitude in the students as they worked. I think that theyre already starting to see the connection HWS has with the people of Geneva.
All of the hard work certainly paid off, and students felt inspired to continue to improve the community. I love this, said Marielle Verni 14 of New Rochelle, N.Y., while carrying a large bin of recycling at the Geneva Community Center. I think that at the end of the day what weve done is very helpful. Ive worked with Habitat for Humanity before, and at my hometowns animal shelter; its work I really hope to continue in Geneva.
Executive Director of the Geneva Community Center Robin Glasgow expressed his gratitude for having some helping hands. The students have been awesome, he said. Theyre washing windows, pulling weeds, cleaning out our athletic rooms. This is a great opportunity for new students to learn about the center, and hopefully encourage them to get involved here or anywhere in Geneva for the next four years.
In the photo above, Kelsey-Leigh Devane 14 and Angelo Crea 14 clean windows at the Cracker Factory, a renovated industrial building on Lehigh Street that houses non-profit art groups.