Great Bay Charter School Day of Caring

EXETER_Seniors from Great Bay Charter School recently spent their annual Senior Day of Caring volunteering at Austin 17 House.

Seniors from GBCS helped with organizing, painting a mural, ripping out old carpet, planting flowers, raking and getting rid of old debris. It was all incredibly helpful to Austin House, where staff often don’t have time during regular days to take on additional projects.

“I think it teaches them to give back to the community, to keep a balance of understanding,” said Laura Messina, VP at Austin 17 House. “It’s important for them to be involved in something bigger than themselves.”

As part of their Senior Capstone requirements, students at GBCS complete 10 hours of community service. Senior Aidan Consentino, of Kingston, completed his volunteer hours at Austin 17 House which led him to propose holding the school’s Senior Day of Caring there.

There was also a personal connection to GBCS as Austin 17 House was started by local father Mark Anderson, after the death of his son Austin, a student at the school. Many of this year’s graduating seniors knew Austin, which made their time volunteering at the center even more meaningful.

Consentino was thrilled with the participation from his fellow seniors who completed several large projects during the day. “I have not stopped smiling since I got here this morning,” Consentino said. “It’s just unbelievable what a small group of people can do with the generosity of the community.”

Great Bay Charter School is a project-based school in Exeter that serves students in grades 6-12. As a public charter school, GBCS is a tuition-free alternative to larger, traditional public schools, and is open to students from throughout New Hampshire. For more information, visit www.gbecs.org