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Friday, May 15, roughly 400 students from North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS) volunteered their time to help make the district a better place. Students ranging in age from pre-school to high school engaged in projects as part of the first annual Community Service Day.

Younger students donated projects to the Villages of North Branch, Maple Commons, and North Branch Area Library, and they sang in concerts for the elderly on both May 14, and 15. Sunrise River students cleaned up the grounds along Grand Ave., and middle school, high school, and Area Learning Center students were performing a wide variety of community service projects, including, raking, clean-up, painting, and much more, from Stacy to Harris, North Branch to Sunrise.

But as much as Community Service Day was an important educational lesson for students about the value of taking care of their communities, it as also a celebration of a year's dedication to community service by students and staff alike.

Also the morning of May 14, Sunrise River school staff celebrated volunteers who have spent countless hours at the school, helping staff and students make the most of each day. For their efforts, volunteers were treated to a hot breakfast. On the other side of the coin, NBAPS makes every effort to volunteer its time during the school year, and following are just a few examples of the effort and places NBAPS helps out: Family Pathways, Wild River State Park, Beautification at Central Park in North Branch, visiting The Villages of North Branch, "Trick or Can", providing concessions for Art Fest; Kids Against Hunger, helping the local Food Pantry, Sleep in a Box, an awareness event on homelessness; Candlelight Ski at State Park, "Battle of the Bands", the May blood drive, Kids Vote and Big Red Goes Green, recycling in the schools.

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