Work and Fun Go Hand in Hand

“Work hard, play hard” was the theme of the day for the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School seniors who participated in the school’s annual Senior Community Service Day on Friday, taking the day off from school to do service projects and enjoying a day with their friends in the process.

Held primarily at sites in Acton and Boxborough, and at one in Sudbury, the event has grown to the extent that adults at some locations have come to count on the students' yearly visit to help with tasks ranging from outdoor work like mulching and raking to jobs indoors at several schools and Acton Memorial Library, among other locations.

According to Kay Steeves, the student/faculty support coordinator at ABRHS, the annual event started in 1995 when then-class president Dana Becker “ran on a platform that she would get the kids a day off to do volunteering (projects) in the spring, and she did.” 

Both student participation and scope of jobs they do have evolved over the years from "the first year (when) we had 14 teams and 144 students participating. This year we had 59 teams and over 450 students participating" at numerous sites representing 50 service projects in the area, Steeves said.

And while participation in Senior Community Service Day is “technically optional,” said Steeves, “An overwhelming majority of kids participate. (Volunteering) really is part of the culture (at ABRHS), and if all their friends are doing it, they’re going to do it too.”

Friday’s sunny, nearly cloudless skies provided optimal conditions for the students to enjoy their time outdoors, with Daniel Hoadley, 18, team captain of the group assigned to the Discovery Museums, saying they appreciated how the “perfect day” lent itself to a “nice way of bonding.”

The 13 volunteers there primarily raked and cleared brush around the museums' stone wall area, a contribution that “makes a huge impact on the visitors’ experience here” said Sarah Brockway, director of visitor experiences.

“They do an amazing job. They were excited about being here and we were excited about having them,” said Brockway.

What’s more, she said, “They have fond memories of coming here as children. Part of the fun for us was hearing about their memories of when they were here (as kids)."

But the hard work involved at some sites was not to be underrated, with Steeves saying, “Sometimes the kids are surprised at how hard they have to work. ‘Community service’ has such a nice, soft sound to it but then they get out there and they have to work really hard.”

Such was the case at the Acton Arboretum, where John Bull, 18, called his experience “good, but way harder than I thought it would be.”

At the Arboretum, two teams totaling some 28 students were given the tasks of clearing walkways, disposing of dead brush and other debris and pulling vines—essential jobs that are virtually impossible to complete without the yearly help from ABRHS seniors, said Cathy Hatfield, president of the Friends of the Acton Arboretum.

“We couldn’t take care of the property to this extent without the kids’ help. There are some projects we’re really only able to do when they’re here,” said Hatfield, adding that in addition to the usual tasks assigned on Senior Volunteer Day, some students assisted an arborist who was on site, coincidentally, as part of National Arbor Day.

Whether it was more a day of work or play, it was a win-win experience—so said Hoadley of his group, who were all “having a great day.”

“It’s great giving back, but what’s even better is getting to do it with friends,” said Hoadley, with teammate Jenna Rice, 17, adding that the experience, while “a good time for everyone,” helped underscore “that volunteering is also an important part of our education.”

And though the difficulty of their assignments may have surprised some students, said Steeves, “I think they really have a sense of accomplishment when they’re done.”