The city of Warsaw has done a lot for the high school. Businesses have donated their money, parents have donated their time and everyone has donated support in any way they can.
Principal Randy Luebbert recognized just how much the community has done for the school, and he wanted to think of any way he could repay them.
“When I first came to Warsaw, I saw how many times our kids go into the community and ask for their support. We are constantly asking our community for money and support. I just started looking for a way that we could give something back,” Luebbert said.
There were three locations that students were sent, including the Shawnee Bend Golf Course, the bike trails near the harbor and the harbor itself. At the golf course, students weeded, picked up trash and collected golf balls. At the harbor, students mulched and picked up bushes while the students on the trail picked up trash.
The idea for community day was also thought to be a good idea amongst the seniors themselves. Senior Corey Nahrstedt had a great time and believed that this was a good way to give back to the community.
“I believe community day should continue because it is a great way to give back to the community and even better way to make friends with maybe those you never speak to,” Nahrstedt said.
Luebbert’s idea was manual labor. Last year, the seniors walked around the harbor and picked up trash along the shore. Seniors picked up trash again this year, but also added landscaping and lawn maintenance to their list of things to do.
Luebbert said everyone who worked with him to get the day set up was very helpful and that he was very satisfied with how everything went.
“I would like to give a special thank you to Randy Pogue, Susan Cooner, Josh Renno and all the city employees that helped us that day,” Luebbert said.
The day also allowed for the entire school to do some standardized testing. The juniors took the ACT, and the sophomores and freshmen took the pre-ACT. Geometry teacher Brian Hrabe was very surprised at how well everything went.
“I think it was an absolute success. I’m amazed at how well it went, especially when you consider all the moving parts,” Hrabe said. “Something people don’t realize is that freshmen, sophomores and juniors were all testing while the seniors were working in the community. For something this big, it all went very smoothly.”