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Community Cleanup by Entire High School

SUSQUEHANNA DEPOT — An entire school in Susquehanna County emptied out on Monday. Every student and teacher spread out to clean up the community. Susqueha...
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SUSQUEHANNA DEPOT -- An entire school in Susquehanna County emptied out on Monday. Every student and teacher spread out to clean up the community.

Susquehanna Community School called it the first "Spring Pride and Polish Day" and it certainly made a difference.

Just about everywhere you looked in the borough of Susquehanna, there were Susquehanna Community School students at work. All morning, seventh through 12th graders were trimming trees, pulling weeds, picking up junk, and more.

"It's pretty cool," said junior Taylor Bennett. "It's a neat experience. You get to get out of the classroom and actually make a difference."

These boys and girls quickly learned there's a lot of work to be done in public areas throughout their community, and that they were really making a difference.

"It is so different," said ninth grader Lia Heath. "When we first came here, it was really, really bad and now it looks so good."

The students clearing trash along Front Street were amazed at all they found and cleared.

"It's pretty crazy," said eighth grader Jacob Tomczyk. "I pulled out a couch and wheelbarrow.  I don't know what they're pulling out."

This is called Pride and Polish Day; the first time all students and teachers are leaving school to do projects like this.

"100 percent student and faculty participation grades seven through 12," said student council adviser Carly Batzel. "It's amazing."

While this is time out of school for these kids, the teachers know this is a lesson that can never be fully taught in the classroom, a lesson in community service.

"There's never enough hands and never enough volunteers, so when we can take a couple hours out of our day to help out and give out to our community that gives back to our schools so much, it's a good day!" Batzel added.

And while it was a lot of work, it became a lot of fun. And it will likely happen again.

"This is really fun, actually. You wouldn't imagine coming out and cleaning something would be fun, but it's really good to know you're doing something good for your community," said Heath.

For students who weren't physically able to go out and do the work, there were other projects for them to do back at school.

For those doing the work out and about, we heard some people in the community stop by to say thanks.

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