Youth Service Days

Twice a year, United Way of Saginaw County along with many other local organizations (listed below) organize service day events for Saginaw County high school students. During these days, we invite representatives from each school to help us make a difference in our community.

The students arrive at the YMCA in the morning for registration and breakfast. After going over a few quick procedures and policies, the students are mixed into groups with students from all different walks of life. After a quick icebreaker, the students are bused by SISD Transportation to their work sites. The students spend the day learning about new people, new trades and new skills as they work alongside community leaders and master gardeners. The students are able to put aside all their mixed feelings, school and sports rivalries, and come together for one purpose - to make a difference in our community.

Not only do these students make a difference in the community, they also learn valuable leadership and teamwork skills that we hope they will utilize to their fullest potential now and throughout their future. Events like these are designed to show the youth that when you reach out a hand to someone you truly do INFLUENCE the condition of all. If it wasn’t for your community support, we would not be able to help guide and mold these students into becoming our future leaders of tomorrow.

SAVE THE DATE - MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY 2011 - October 20, 2011

Thank you to everyone who helped make our 2011 Students Spring Into Service Day a HUGE success! In total, there were 152 students, representing 14 Saginaw County high school student groups, working with 61 community volunteers. The groups worked to complete projects at six Emmaus House homes, as well as a big clean up at Hartley Nature Center.

A special thank you to the participating schools/groups:

Arthur Hill High School

Bridgeport High School

Buena Vista High School

Carrollton High School

Chesaning High School

Freeland High School

Hemlock High School

Heritage High School

Nouvel Catholic Central

Saginaw Arts & Sciences Academy

Saginaw High School

St. Charles High School

Swan Valley High School

Transitions Center

FORCE

Y Teen Leaders

Also, another big thank you to all of our sponsors and community partners who helped make this day, and several other service days possible:

Saginaw Community Foundation

Bridge Center for Racial Harmony

The Home Depot

Kiwanis Club

Saginaw ISD

Master Gardeners

Jack's Tree Service

DC Painting & Remodeling

CAN Council of Saginaw County

The Foresters

Dawkins Cultural Diversity Counseling

Houghton-Jones Neighborhood Association

YMCA

When asked what their favorite part of the day was, here are some of the responses:

"I felt proud for what I did to change lives."

"I loved helping others, and having fun while doing it."

"My favorite part was meeting new people, trying new things and helping people."

"It was fun for all of us to work together to help people who need it. There was something for everyone to do!"

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