Riverdale students give back to community on Earth Day, National Volunteer Week

PORT BYRON, Ill. (KWQC) - Students in the Riverdale School District took advantage of Earth Day to get outside and give back to the community.

It’s also National Volunteer Week and students worked together to dedicate their time and talents to make a difference.

“They’ve been fantastic helpers today,” said Sandra Rolling, physical education teacher at Riverdale Middle School. “We had a group right here along the gazebo making and planting flowers and mulching the area and we had another crew cleaning up along the river and it was amazing.”

Rolling said students learned lessons planted in how doing good can spread like a weed.

“They kind of had to think about some things while they were here, what is how can I personally grow by helping others in our community and the kids that are here with me today all live in Port Byron so this is a way that they can directly impact the community that they live in,” Rolling said.

Lessons that go far beyond the classroom.

“It makes me feel happy because we get to help other people and we get to tidy up the community,” said Owen Sallows, Riverdale Middle School student.

Students even tidied up at local businesses including Happy Pawz Playground Dog Daycare and Grooming Salon.

“It’s been great,” said Jackson Hawkins, Riverdale Middle School student. “It’s been so much fun hanging out with the dogs, helping out, volunteering, it’s the best.”

All to support the community these students call home.

“There are a lot of different activities that kind of reached the needs of all of our students and peaked all of their interest,” Rollings said. “It’s National Volunteer Week and Earth Day, so we thought this is a great opportunity to have our students give back to the community around us.”

In total, the middle school students had the opportunity to volunteer with one of 18 projects.

At the elementary school, students are also learning about recycling by collecting items to fill a dumpster. All proceeds will go to Hog Wild Animal Rescue in Kewanee, school officials said. District students helped paint the dumpster themselves.

As part of Earth Week education, elementary students have also had a variety of guests visit classrooms to teach students and complete earth related activities.