Wellsville High School students engage in Senior Service Day

At the Community Kitchen students prepared seven weeks worth of food to be served free of charge to the needy in the community. Elijah Torruella peels potatoes for scalloped potatoes.

Wellsville's High School's seniors spent their school day Thursday learning about the volunteer opportunities in the community.
Groups of a dozen or more students learned first-hand the volunteer opportunities at the Wellsville Community Kitchen, Highland Park Rehabilitation, Manor Care, Hart House and the SPCA Serving Allegany County. They also collected canned foods at Save-a-Lot in conjunction with the YMCA to benefit Hart House.
Social Studies teacher Matt Burke said the Senior's Community Service Day is a reminder of the JUMP Day many of those same seniors took part in during their Middle School days, he said.

At the Community Kitchen students prepared seven weeks worth of food to be served free of charge to the needy in the community.  Molly McKee makes lasagna.

"This second annual Senior Community Service Day helps students to realize the volunteer opportunities that are in the community," he said.
In order for high school seniors to graduate they must complete a community service project. In the past students have been responsible for arranging their own projects. While students are still allowed to do individual community service, the Community Service Day fulfills that graduation requirement.
The directors of the sites where the students volunteered agreed that the students help was valuable to their organizations oftentimes freeing up regular volunteers for other jobs, or providing maintenance or activities that there often isn't time for on a daily basis.
Shelley Dunne who runs the Community Kitchen and who is also a member of the Wellsville Rotary, said the Community Service Day introduces students to the need for and the joy of volunteering.
"They not only learn how they can help the community, but they also learn what volunteering can do for them," she said.
“We try to create a very meaningful experience between the kids and the community,” said Burke. "Wellsville students are doing good deeds around the village and beyond, fostering a greater sense of community while learning the power of volunteering."