On April 8, 2025, the senior class went out into the community and performed various community service tasks to give the juniors a quieter testing space for the ACT. There were eight groups of seniors who cleaned police cars and fire trucks, picked up trash along the roads, painted the parking spots at the Community Club, and did yard work in many places. All community service tasks were from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. This is the first year the seniors have done this, and called it “Give Back Day.”
Directly following the “Give Back Day,” all seniors spent the rest of the day at the park. They hosted a BBQ with various games and tournaments. This tradition of BBQing at the park is a great way for seniors to finish the year having fun together before going their separate ways after graduation.
Many students have said this was a great idea and would be a great tradition to start for the upcoming seniors. Every senior has said that they had a great time doing good deeds with their friends, and it was an overall “feel-good” experience. Hailey Kolweier said, “I thought it was rewarding just seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces afterwards. I had a great time at the park, spending time with my friends and eating some good food cooked by some of the boys. It was nice to talk to people that I don’t sit next to in class or have classes with. I would definitely recommend it for future senior classes, but would also recommend sunscreen!” Everyone feels better when they know they did a good thing with their day, instead of being at home until lunch in the park.
This new tradition is all because of our principal, Mr. Rakers. He explained how he has a strong background in community and volunteering, and that is what led him to bring up this idea. He states that as he drives through one community to the next, he can tell which towns have no civic pride as a result of a lack of volunteers. As we all know, small towns thrive on volunteering. Oftentimes, we have limited resources, and volunteering is what fills those gaps and creates relationships that help keep our community so close. For Mr. Rakers, Give Back Day made a huge impact on our local towns and gave many generations who volunteered before us hope for the future of Okawville. During an interview, Mr. Rakers said, “While most of our seniors have volunteered before, I wanted to make sure they all felt the warmth that comes from helping others. The warmth that comes from a thankful community. I heard so many positives from our first Give Back Day, and I look forward to many more opportunities to give back to the West Washington school region.”