Seekonk High School Students Help With Leaf Clean-Up

A group of students from Seekonk High School participated in the first annual "Seekonk Community Leaf Clean-up Day” on November 13. The volunteers, under the direction of Assistant Principal Matthew Bosh, visited homes of Seekonk Veterans and elderly who couldn’t clean up the leaves that fell in their yards because of a physical or medical condition, or lack of resources.

Each house was assigned to a group of students and one adult that picked up the leaves in the yards. Each house had leaf bags dropped off to bundle the leaves. For houses that had woods adjacent to their yards, tarps were provided to drag the leaves to the wooded area.

Seekonk High School teachers Taylor Brillon, Ben Gibbons, Zach Giorgis, and Peter Hoogerzeil, and also baseball coach Joe Demelo and girl’s basketball coach Bill Paulo supervised the clean-up at each house.

“I would like to thank and acknowledge Mr. Bosh for organizing this inaugural event, with the help from our Seekonk Veterans Agent, James LaFlame, who identified senior residents or Veterans in need,” Superintendent Rich Drolet said at Monday’s school committee meeting.

38 students from Grades 9 through 12 participated, along with a few student volunteers that were not affiliated with any organization but just wanted to pitch in to help. “We also had six staff volunteers that also served as site supervisors at the houses,” Bosh noted.

Students who committed to help this day received time toward their community service hours, which is a graduation requirement.

“The students shared with me that they really enjoyed the experience because it was a true sense of giving back to their community, especially to those who have given so much to Seekonk over the years,” Bosh said. “The adults supervising told me they didn't have to motivate the kids at all, that they in fact dove right in at each house cleaning up leaves, debris and anything else to make the yards look as nice as possible.” 

“The home owners and a few of their surrounding neighbors commented how thankful they were for the offering of this service, and they were so impressed at how hard and fast the kids worked.  Very complimentary towards their efforts, it was such an awesome day,” Bosh added.