Think about the many ways citizens, businesses and nonprofits support schools in their communities.
Community members cheer on the school’s athletic team at sporting events. Some of these same people also volunteer at school, and buy products from students who do fundraisers for various school activities or organizations.
With the dedication so many people and entities put into their schools, it’s nice to see students, teachers and other school district staff give back to the community.
So, we’re happy to know that Riverside School District’s elementary, middle and high school levels are partnering with local organizations or showing appreciation to local businesses during Community Kindness Day on May 24th.
This year marks a change from the district’s previous Community Kindness Day, which was held during summer vacation.
One group of high school students visited the United Way of Lake County. Those volunteer activities include sorting items for the organization’s food pantry.
“It is very important for us to have volunteers who can help us to be organized and in order, so of course the students who are here to do this are a great help to us, and then they will also help us. do a little spring cleaning in the building,” said the President UWLC Dione DeMitro News-Herald reporter Bryson Durst.
The students are then scheduled to help sort donated clothing items for the local Back to School Bash, DeMitro added.
Junior Megan Sullivan describes volunteering as “a great way to end the year by helping the community.”
High school students also volunteer at the Lake County History Center, the Salvation Army and elsewhere in the district, said Nick Carrabine, who serves as director of marketing and communications for Riverside Schools.
Riverside sophomore Aiden Kanaga volunteers at the district’s Melridge Elementary School. He said he helped with the school’s field day activities.
“It was really cool,” Kanaga said. “I’m very happy to help set up the field day, and I’m very happy to be able to help the community.”
Melridge students also have the opportunity to show community kindness. Principal Gretchen Wakim said the school has spent the past few weeks collecting more than 300 boxes of cereal for End 68 Hours of Hunger. The school celebrates by arranging the boxes in a domino pattern and watching them fall in the school gym.
Wakim said End 68 Hours of Hunger provides at least 50 bags of food to Melridge students each week. The organization depends on donations, so the school raises money.
The End 68 Hours of Hunger website states that it provides weekend meals to address student hunger between Friday school lunch and Monday school breakfast.
Elsewhere in the district, Carrabine said other elementary schools are partnering with the Jared Box Project to make boxes for hospitalized children, the Linus Project to provide blankets for children, and the Lake County Council on Aging to provide food for the Pet Meals on Wheels program and cards for seniors.
He added that elementary school students made cards for nursing home residents, while several students from LaMuth Middle School visited local businesses and thanked them for supporting the district.
This year’s Community Kindness Day was moved to May to allow students to participate, she added. In previous years, about 40 to 50 county staff members spent a day in the summer traveling to show their appreciation to the community.
He said the new Community Kindness Day ties in with the district’s strategic plan focus on advocacy, partnerships and engagement.
“We hope the students and staff can help these organizations help those in need in our community,” Carrabine said. “We’re always looking for ways to give back to the community and any time we can get students involved, the better.”
“I hope the students understand the impact they make in the community and the importance of giving back,” he said later. “I hope they know that their work today will put a smile on their face and help people in their time of need.”
The News-Herald commended Riverside Schools for setting up this annual event format, so students can join staff in giving back to the community in a meaningful way.
