By Elizabeth Suggs | [email protected]

April 30 marked the first Highland High volunteer project through Comcast Cares Day.

Highland High has partook in other volunteer activities, but never something at this scale, says Audrey Hall, Secretary to the Principal. With the expected outcome of 1,000, according to Hall, when the actual count came up to 1,400 volunteers that was unexpected. It was because, according to Hall, a few local groups signed up the night before the event. For Hall, this meant opportunity.

“We were able to complete projects we had set out to do, which we were worried about that.” Hall said. “We completed projects early and that was impressive.”

Not only that, but, according to Hall, having the volunteer project part of the Comcast Cares day, Comcast donated to the school based on how many volunteers turned up. The dollar amount, according to Hall, increased per volunteer.

Karrie Allred, part of Highland High, agreed the turnout was remarkable.

“There was way more than we thought would come, especially the youth turnout.” Allred said. “It’s made a huge difference in our community.”

Youth who did come out and help not only were given the free breakfast, lunch and T-shirt received by each volunteer, but students of Highland High were also eligible to take place in a contest through Comcast if they signed up to volunteer early enough.

Comcast offered any student who registered at least fifteen days prior to the actual event automatically was entered into a drawing for an IPad mini Wireless  Beats by Dre headphones, Xbox One and a PS4.

The winning students, according to Hall, will be announced in the next week or so.

With so many students involved, the kids, according to Hall, had fun. There were no issues or problems. Hall said music was played and everyone seemed to “have a good time.”

Volunteers were given the option to participate in sanding wood trim, painting, landscaping, light cleaning around the school, organizing labs, updating the athletic floor department floors, walls, etc, hanging pictures, assisting with food, flyers, etc., create a green wall for HTVS, sanitize daycare toys and more.One of the largest scale projects was the Highland High wrestling room. Volunteers had to build a foam pad beneath the floor so when students hit the floor due to wrestling, the likelihood of concussions was decreased.

In regards to supplies, according to Hall, this was the most costly, but Comcast covered the majority of the cost.

One of the other larger scale projects was the exterior of the school. Volunteers painted curving outside, planted, mulched, added and updated the lawns. Part of the exterior also included work on the greenhouse for those students in biology.

All volunteers who had signed up prior were asked to start their morning at 7 a.m., for morning check in and to receive their free breakfast, donuts, otherwise, walk-in volunteers were asked to come at 8 a.m.

Volunteers were then used from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and afterward were given a lunch of pizza from the commons/cafeteria area at Highland High.

 When asked whether Highland High would participate in such a volunteer project again, Hall said yes. The turn out, according to Hall, was enough to show the school that many more projects like this could be done. If it hadn’t been for Chris Jensen, according to Hall, Highland High would have never even known about the Comcast Cares Day.

To have Comcast work with them, according to Hall, there was an application process that went over their school, along with others, to see who Comcast would help. After applying, then there was an interview done by Highland High’s Chris Jensen.

“We’ve had large volunteer projects, but not at this scale.” Hall said. “It definitely encourages us to continue.”