Helping out around the community is a great way to spend time on any given day, and this year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, students at Ossining High School truly demonstrated this. This January 18, known as OHS Day of Service, students were exposed to various volunteering opportunities within the town where they were able to spend their day off making a difference. Students extended helping hands at places such as the SPCA Animal Shelter, Mike Risko’s Music Store, Teatown, and many more. Not only were their efforts beneficial and appreciated by these exceptional organizations, but the students themselves were able to gain a lot from the experience.

 At the animal shelter, Ossining high schoolers spent their time shoveling and spreading woodchips into pens for the animals that stayed in them. While putting in their labor, they got the chance to learn about the incredible service that SPCA provides for mistreated or lost animals. The organization is nonprofit, seeking to provide shelter and care for animals that truly need it. Being able to take part in that mission was truly a rewarding experience for the students. At Mike Risko’s Music Store, students had the opportunity to learn about marketing and business strategy, which can be useful for future career ventures. They were able to assist in organizing the store and decide how to arrange products in a way that would better appeal to customers. Greeting and dealing with customers in a musical environment conveyed to student the significance of making connections in order to sustain your own business.

The OHS Day of Service was an amazing experience for both the community and students both. It will be exciting to see how else students can continue to give back to the community, and themselves, throughout the rest of the year.