Since 2007 more than 6,000 people have discovered the joy of service and the impact they can have on their community. Volunteers take vacation time, rearrange their schedules, post-pone trips just so they can be a part of this powerful project. They no longer refer to “the schools” but call them “our schools”. Many have launched initiatives of their own with other schools and agencies within the community that need their help. School administrators and teachers have felt the lift of people serving, encouraging and believing in them. Parents have attended the school open houses in record numbers and have continued their involvement with their kids’ education throughout the year. Students have a new sense of pride that has shown in their behavior and performance. Each of the schools that have been restored has reported:
■Increased student test scores
■Increased parental involvement
■Decreased discipline incidents
■Increased pride in school (demonstrated by the near elimination of graffiti and vandalism)
RPS District 205 now has 8 schools that have been restored and updated. This, at a time when the facilities operations budget is in a deficit and the work backlog exceeds $90 million. The work done has been beyond anything the district could afford.
