Hundreds of students help the community during Ravenna High School Day of Service
Hundreds of Ravenna High School students worked at 38 locations Friday to help businesses, social service agencies and schools.
It was the fifth annual Day of Service for Ravenna High students. Lenora Gunnoe, a family and consumer science teacher, said all the district's students were out at sites throughout Ravenna and Ravenna Township. Some students were doing landscaping at Ravenna schools, churches or cemeteries; others were sent to social service agencies such as Center of Hope, The Haven of Portage County and Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority; and some even helped build a home for Habitat for Humanity of Portage County.
More: Ravenna High School students head out to serve community
Gunnoe teaches a service learning class, and students in that class were doing the project for course credit.
She said some students may complain about their assignments heading out, but they return excited about what they did and look forward to the day the following year.
"It's a big day," she said.
In Ravenna, about 110 students were spread through the downtown area, passing out flyers, decorating storefronts and asking if they could help business owners. Ryann Kuchenbecker, executive director of the Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce, suspected that so many students chose to come downtown because they got doughnuts and pizza out of the deal.
Kuchenbecker frequently does Facebook Live videos to promote upcoming events, but Friday, she turned seniors Haylee Mearns, Libby Remley and Lexi Guy into her promoters. The three, along with all the other students, were wearing yellow shirts that Haylee designed.
The trio walked through downtown, visiting storefronts, other volunteers and teachers, and Main Street Ravenna during their video, while talking about the good weather.
"Be there or be square," Libby said, as people she talked to told her about upcoming events such as the June 17 Ravenna Rocks concert and the June 10 Art on Main festival.
Amber Strabala, a senior, was painting a congratulatory message to her classmates on the window of Ravenna Nutrition, in anticipation of the upcoming parade of seniors through the downtown. She said the day combined two things she likes.
"I like painting," she said. "I also really like Ravenna Nutrition."
Students Kaylynn Greathouse, a sophomore, and Rachel Wood, a senior, helped build a house at Habitat for Humanity's build site on Summit Road in Ravenna Township. The students wore pink T-shirts in honor of Habitat's Women Build Weekend, which ended Saturday, said Kaleena Gharky, community director with Habitat.
The house broke ground last September on a property that was owned by the Portage County Land Bank. A house that previously stood on the site had burned.
"Its kind of cool that it came full circle," she said.
Rachel said she thought the project would be a good learning opportunity.
"I've actually been accepted into a civil engineering program," she said. "I thought it would be a good experience."
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Ravenna students help the community during high school day of service
