The National Honor Society at Great Bend High School is organizing a Community Service Day on April 22. The school board approved the day at its Feb. 9 meeting, after hearing from sponsor Luke Maneth and four NHS officers.
“We did Community Service Day in 2019,” Maneth said. The project went away after the COVID-19 pandemic. April 22 will be a full school day “dedicated to giving back to our community.” Every student and every teacher will be expected to take part. Students who don’t go out into the community will be given things to do at the school.
During Community Service Day, students will engage in a variety of service projects throughout Great Bend, including painting, picking up trash, creating care packages and other community-focused service activities. The goal is to instill a strong sense of civic responsibility while allowing students to actively contribute to the place they call home.
The sponsors are seeking community sponsors and donations to buy supplies such as rakes, paint brushes and paint, gloves and other materials. Any excess funds will be donated to United Way of Central Kansas. Sponsors will receive placement of their business logo on the back of the Community Service Day T-Shirt, which will be worn by over 900 students and staff members throughout the day.
The public can also request a group of students for projects. Students will not be allowed to handle any hazardous materials or sharp tools, Maneth said.
“This can be a positive experience that brings our students together,” he said.
School board members agreed. Member Karen Lindberg commented, “It’s also a way for the community to see how many great kids we have.”
To request a group of student volunteers at an organization or other location, check out the website https://gbhscommunityserviceday.my.canva.site/nhs.
To contribute financially, checks should be made payable to Great Bend High School, with “National Honor Society” noted in the memo section. Mail checks to Great Bend High School, Attn: Luke Maneth, 2027 Morton St., Great Bend, KS 67530.
