Norwich Tech holds its first Community Day: here's what the students did

The students at Norwich Technical High School took a half day before the Memorial Day weekend. Instead of slacking off, they were hard at work, giving back to the community.

The first Norwich Tech Community Day took place Friday. The yearly event gets students to help in the community. The idea was created by senior Morgan Cook.

“We love our community, not just our school,” she said.

Giving back took many forms. Some students stayed at the school and wrote cards for those in need or drew a chalk mural. Others went into the city, helping at St. Vincent de Paul Place, the Chestnut St. Playhouse, and elsewhere. Some went out of town, cleaning up the Waterford Country School, the Sprague Land Preserve, and more. There was a total of 12 sites across five towns for 500 students to go to, Principal Don Concascia said.

How it started

Friday’s volunteer event sprung from Cook’s plan from Connecticut’s Voice4Change Program two years ago. This program let students submit plans on how to spend up to $20,000 in American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds to improve their schools. Eighty schools across Connecticut participated in the program, and 59 plans were chosen for funding.

Seventy-one percent of the chosen plans addressed social, emotional, and mental health, 52% addressed learning acceleration, academic renewal and student enrichment, 38% addressed building safe and healthy schools, 35% addressed family and community connections, and 17% addressed the strategic use of technology, staff development, and the digital divide.

Cook, then a sophomore, created the Norwich Tech Community Comeback. The plan included new picnic tables, signs with positive messages, social and emotional health talks, and student involvement in community service, Concascia said in May 2022.

In May 2022, Cook hoped her plan would help the school community “get involved and raise spirits, as COVID took away a lot of that.” Now, Cook said it's great to see her peers getting out in the community.

“Not a lot of kids get to do volunteer work, so its nice to get to see them participating in that, in a way that interests them as well” she said.

The Community Day will be an annual event, and next school year will focus on school climate and giving back to the community, Concascia said.

“COVID has done some damage, and people are afraid to be around others and are afraid to communicate,” he said. “So, we try to bring that back through this program.”

What did students think?

Sophomore Rose Ferrer-Pacheco first heard about the Community Day from her teachers. She chose to work on the chalk mural with her friends, and she genuinely enjoys doing art.

Ferrer Pacheco also said it’s a good idea for the school to make it a yearly event. Hopefully, more students will be inspired to volunteer regularly like she does.

“It’s a great way to get teens involved in their community and their school,” she said.

One student who might consider volunteering more is sophomore Elijah Nicolas, who went to the Chestnut Street Playhouse to clean out the garden area.

“I get to help out where I live, and at places like these I have never been before,” he said.

What did the community think?

Leading the students inside the Chestnut Street Playhouse was Carpenter John Bono. A Norwich Tech alum, was impressed with the work the students did to fix up the stage.

“They’re fantastic and taking directions very well,” he said.

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This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich Tech students help community in volunteering event