MARINE PARK— The school year hasn’t even started yet, but a group of eighth graders at Good Shepherd Catholic Academy in Marine Park feel like they have already earned A’s.
Fifteen students — about half of the entire eighth grade — gave up one of the last days of their summer vacation to come to Good Shepherd on Thursday, Aug. 21, to spend the morning helping get the school ready for the opening of classes on Sept. 3.
The youngsters arrived at 9:30 a.m., but instead of heading to a classroom, like they would during the school year, they went down to the basement, where the sight of dozens of boxes of textbooks greeted them.
They diligently sorted through the textbooks, putting them into piles, and then loaded up their arms with the books for delivery to classrooms.
Aug. 21 was the first of two service days for the eighth graders. During the last week of August, when teachers are back to work, student volunteers are expected to return to help teachers decorate classrooms.
They were rewarded with a pizza party at the end of the shift. But a free lunch wasn’t the only reason they came. By volunteering, the kids earned community service credits that they will need to qualify to receive the sacrament of confirmation this fall.
There were other reasons, too.
Volunteering gives eighth grade students the opportunity to mature into the school’s leaders — a role that is a natural fit since they are the senior grade, said Principal Timothy Dillon.
“It’s kind of a way to assert their leadership in the school and really take on that role as leaders of the students,” Dillon said.
Rebecca Saint-Phard said she wanted to take part in the volunteer service because she liked the idea of helping teachers get their classrooms ready for the opening of school. “They do so much for us, and now we can contribute our time for them,” Rebecca said.
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Like her classmates, Rebecca will graduate from Good Shepherd Catholic Academy next June. Volunteering allowed her to give back to her school before she says goodbye.
“I’ve been here since pre-k, so these are my last days,” she said. “It’s going to be a little upsetting, going to a new chapter in my life, but [it’s] also exciting for my future journeys and new paths I can take.”
Lilyanna Dash was grinning from ear to ear. She said there’s pride in knowing that by getting classrooms ready, she was helping students start the new term on the right foot.
“I think it’s important to help out with the school, especially to help other kids have a good year,” Lilyanna said. “It’s almost like we’re giving them an extra hand of what they need so they can be ready for the year.”