Student group gives back to community
Dog wash and walk to help a local rescue organization
EASTGREENBUSH, N.Y. >> A group of students from the East Greenbush Central School District have been preparing all year for a community service fundraiser that will take place Saturday.
Twenty students from the Superintendent’s Student Advisory
Council helped to organize a Dog Wash and Walk that will take place from 9 a.m. to noon in the East Greenbush Town Park. Students will be washing and walking dogs for $5 each, with all proceeds being donated to Peppertree Rescue, a dog rescue group based in Albany.
The group, which includes students from grades 5-12 across the district, planned the event over the past few months with district Superintendent Jeff Simons. They sent out letters asking for donations, made promotional materials — including helping to create a website for the fundraiser event — and will be staffing the event.
“When I first came on board as superintendent, I wanted an opportunity to work with some student leaders to better understand the district,” Simons explained Thursday, “and to get their feedback on any problems that might exist in the schools, so that we can try to make the school district the best that it can be. In addition, we are promoting community service through the group.”
At the beginning of the school year, Simons said he had the district’s principals meet with him and had them and teachers nominate students they felt had outstanding character and the potential to become leaders in the schools and the community.
“We have students from every building that work with me,” Simons said, “and they’ve met with me
“I look forward to seeing how many people show up to it and seeing what a difference we can make.”
several times this year. During one of our earlier meetings, they decided that they wanted to do a community service project.”
Like many group members, Green Meadow Elementary School fifthgrader Johnny Del Grosso said he was shocked and excited when he found out he was picked to join the group.
“At first, I was kind of unsure about it because I felt like it was too big of a responsibility,” Johnny said, “but then I tried it and I figured out that it was kind of cool, and it’s a great way to learn to have better leadership.”
Others in the group said they were excited to be able to give back to the community.
“I think it will be good to get people involved, since it’s something different and not like a normal food drive or something,” said Katie Asenbauer, an eighth-grader at Goff Middle School. “It’s active and it gets kids and adults involved.”
“I look forward to seeing how many people show up to it and seeing what a difference we can make,” added Melody Diaz, a freshman at Columbia High School. “We live here, and we should help out and help take care of the world.”