The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
A REFLECTION OF PRIDE
Explorations Charter School students care for school grounds
WINSTED » Explorations Charter School students, braving the sudden onset of a heat wave, have spent time tending the school grounds this week.
The idea was a win-win, according to Mike Sanzaro, a counselor at the school. Each student at Explorations is required to complete 20 hours of community service as a graduation requirement and there was a need to do such work at the institution.
“We get to work and the kids are learning some skills — how to garden, how to landscape — and it’s a win-win scenario where they get their community service and the building looks completely different,” said Sanzaro.
Sanzaro and Shannon Whitney, a guest teacher at the school, came up with the beautification effort.
The idea struck home with the students — Sanzaro said they had been expecting two or three individuals to take part, but ended up with many more. It was the most popular summer program available at the school, Whitney said.
“It’s going very well,” said Kyle Peterson, a senior. “Hasn’t taken very long to do all of this.”
During the week, they weeded, picked out and planted some greenery for the school — with a budget in mind — and mulched the property, Whitney and Sanzaro said.
“It’s looking a lot brighter around here,” said Whitney.
Students have been working in teams, Sanzaro said, so they can get a sense of how to work through and complete a project.
The hope is that they take a sense of ownership and pride in the school grounds, he said — the kind of thing you point out with some relish when driving by the institution, and could carry over to their regular attendance at the school.
There are a number of summer programs offered at the school, but this was the first year for the beautification program, Sanzaro and Whitney said.
During the summer students can also make up credits they may have missed at other institutions, Sanzaro said. The programming, which includes creative writing, drama and research classes, give young people an opportunity to do something over the summer, he said.
There’s been a little complaining, Whitney said — it’s been hot — but the students have ultimately taken satisfaction in their work.
“You can see that the students feel rewarded already. They’re walking around the building and they say ‘wow, this really looks good,’ and they’re complimenting each other on their work,” said Whitney. “It’s just nice to see. It’s nice to see them take pride in the building and work as a team, and to compliment each other on a job well-well done.”
“Driving here to do something good for the school, I’ve had a smile on my face every morning. It’s been fun to do something that they enjoy,” said Sanzaro. “It’s something they really want to do, so it’s been a great thing.”