Schools
GALLERY: Beautifying Downtown Barnegat
Members of the National Junior Honor Society at the Russell O. Brackman Middle School worked enthusiastically on fixing up the gazebo and the Cox House well into the afternoon.
Members of the National Junior Honor Society chose to reach beyond the walls of the Russell O. Brackman Middle School and help beautify the rest of the town.
According to Robin Urso, co-advisor of the NJHS, the students were given the option to re-plant around the flagpole at their own school or work on enhancing the historic Cox House and the gazebo.
The students overwhelmingly agreed to help out downtown, Urso said, with volunteers Morgan Ridgway and Nick Pace spearheading the project.
Jessica Hochrun, member of the NJHS, said they chose this project "so [the downtown] won't look as run down, and hopefully bring more tourists in the summertime."
Kyle Gorman and Reese Hardy began by sweeping up the sidewalks and raking up the leaves improving the overall appearance of the Cox House.
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Then groups of students tackled sprucing up the gazebo with a fresh coat of white paint. Others refurbished the fence surrounding the historical landmark and the gazebo with a glossy black paint and coated the benches as well.
"Everyone who passes by here sees it," Ridgway said. "We wanted to improve the image of the town."
