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WARREN -- Students from Warren John F. Kennedy's upper campus spent Friday morning at various organizations throughout the community as part of the annual Father John-Michael Lavelle Day of Service.
The initiative was created in 2017 to allow the school and its students to serve surrounding communities and supporting parishes.
While helping students who were doing cleaning at SS. Mary and Joseph Parish in Warren, Alyse Consiglio, Kennedy's principal, said the organizations and nonprofits are always happy to accept the help.
"Usually, there's about 15 or 16 kids at each location and they can't believe how fast we get everything done," Consiglio said. "Originally, they were just supposed to do some deep cleaning of the wood here, but we've already done that. We've done weeding outside, we're cleaning the choir loft, so a lot of hands do a little bit of work. Our kids and teachers do a great job of connecting this with our purpose at Kennedy."
Nico Ciminero, a senior at Kennedy, helped with the cleaning at SS. Mary and Joseph Parish. He said through the initiative, he and his classmates get to help those in need.
"The people here at the church work real hard and to help them out and give them a day off really means a lot," he said.
Kennedy's prom took place later in the evening.
"You get to work hard and then enjoy the night, it's rewarding," Ciminero said.
Also in Warren, another group of Kennedy students volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul Society thrift and furniture store.
Marina Sanders, a senior at JFK and one of the students helping at the store, said the group worked to organize various items, including clothes.
"We always take every opportunity to help out that we can," Sanders said. "It makes us come closer together and we just love to help out."
Dustin Cunningham, assistant manager with St. Vincent de Paul, said the store likes to be involved with the community. He said they appreciate the help from the students.
"Having them come in ... It helps us get people involved and it also gives them the opportunity to be of service. The more all of us can be involved in our community, the better off we'll all be," Cunningham said.
For the second year, students also helped with projects at the Animal Welfare League in Vienna.
Emily Greve, director of engagement at AWL, said students did a little bit of everything, from scooping litter boxes to making phone calls to recent adopters.
"We clean everyday from around 8 a.m. to around 1 p.m. We're almost done and it's only like 11 a.m.," Greve said. "It's really helpful."
Quinn Meola, a senior at Kennedy, said making calls to the recent adopters was an interesting experience.
"When I first got here, I wasn't expecting to make calls today, but It's really cool connecting with the recent adopters and seeing how these animals are being taken care of," Meola said.
Other sites where the students served included Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, Boyd's Home, Harriet's House, Blessed Sacrament Church and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, both in Warren, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Niles.
The type of work done at each site included a combination of yard work, deep cleaning and moving boxes.
"Some of the places that we go are chosen by the students," Consiglio said. "Finding a worthy cause that the kids are interested in really puts them into the community."
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