East Senior students describe decade of service in "Trojans Take Action" spotlight

East Senior students and staff presented the district—oard with an overview of Trojans Take Action, a day-of-service that began in 2016 and sends student teams to community sites for one morning each year.

Organizer Nadine Ocasio said the program grew out of classroom conversations about civic participation and leadership. "We all need to give back to our community," she said, and described a planning committee that secures sites, donations and buses. Ocasio said the district has not historically paid for the day; volunteers and sponsors raise funds to cover shirts, transportation and refreshments.

Students who spoke described hands-on projects and leadership roles. Ava Kisner said teams helped clean a church gymnasium and build set pieces for Alleyway Theatre. "It just feels so good to help your community," she said. Senior Jamir Valentine said the event builds camaraderie and gives students exposure to workplaces they might not otherwise see. Aiden Franchino and Kyla Taylor described park cleanups, snack-stand refurbishing, and meal-service projects.

Administrators said roughly 47 groups of students are typically deployed on the day of service, each escorted by adults, and that site selection now emphasizes projects that offer learning value for students. The presentation included samples of event T-shirts and photos of past projects.

Organizers asked the board for continued support to maintain the tradition; Dr. Krueger and board members thanked the students for their presentations and noted the event's positive culture-building effects. The board did not take formal action on the presentation; it was offered as a spotlight and community update.

The board meeting proceeded to other agenda items after the presentation.