Cohoes High School seniors and middle school eighth graders traded the classroom for the outdoors this morning as they worked to beautify locations across the City of Cohoes in honor of Global Youth Service Day (GYSD).
Students wearing brightly colored t-shirts spent the morning weeding, raking, mulching, cleaning and bagging debris at many parks and other sites around the city. A handful of students also spent time in the classrooms of Abram Lansing, Harmony Hill and Van Schaick and visited seniors at the Cohoes Senior Center, where they played card games, set tables for lunch and even washed windows.
Students also visited St. Agnes Cemetery in Cohoes and St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Waterford where they placed flags on the graves of veterans as a tribute to their service and sacrifice in honor of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.
GYSD is the largest youth service event in the world, celebrating the impact of young volunteers in their communities. Coordinated by Youth Service America, the event brings together millions of students, schools, organizations, and mentors to address community needs and create positive change.
Volunteering at a young age teaches students valuable lessons about responsibility, compassion, and community involvement. Events like this allow them to see firsthand how their efforts can make a meaningful difference, inspiring them to continue giving back throughout their lives.
They worked at several sites across the city:
- Berkley Park
- Cohoes Senior Center
- Cohoes City School District Central Office
- Cohoes Waterford Elks
- Connect Center
- Craner Park
- Dooley Park
- Eddy Village Green
- Grestini Memorial Park
- Holy Trinity
- Lansing Park
- Sunset Park
- Tech Valley Office Interiors
- United Church of Cohoes
- West End/Memorial Park
The day concluded with cookouts at their respective schools to celebrate their hard work and accomplishments.
Thank you to the district’s social workers who organized this event together with city officials, business officials and church leaders: Elaine Flatow, Leni Ferner, Dana DelGenio and Kortney Conley.