More than 90% of Bear Lake High School students traded classroom time for community service recently, participating in the school’s 11th annual Service-a-Thon, hjnews.com reported. The high participation rate caught first-year principal Keith Carey by surprise during his very first time experiencing the event since taking over as principal this summer.
The annual day of service featured projects spanning highway cleanup, work around North Beach, and painting the Clover Creek school building. Teachers worked alongside the students to help identify worthwhile projects, organize the work, and carry the initiatives through to completion.
Origins and Growth of the Tradition
The Service-a-Thon first began in 2015 as a localized effort to spruce up the high school campus and complete various tasks that custodial and maintenance staff did not have time to tackle. Over the years, the initiative has expanded outward to become a broader community-wide tradition of giving back.
For Carey, observing the students outside of the traditional classroom setting allowed different strengths to emerge. As I watched our students work on their projects, I saw how hardworking, kind, and responsible they are,
Carey said. I also loved seeing students build stronger relationships with one another as they worked toward a common goal.
Principal Impressed by Student Turnout
Reflecting on the turnout, Carey noted that he initially expected some students might choose not to take part. Instead, more than 90% of the student body participated, a level of engagement he stated speaks volumes about the students and the culture being built at the school.
What surprised me most was the turnout,
Carey said. I would tell them that the Service-a-Thon matters because it teaches selflessness rather than selfishness. We are part of a community that looks out for our neighbors and works to build one another up.
Beyond physical results such as cleaner roadsides and painted buildings like Clover Creek—where Carey noted he especially loved seeing the students paint their building—the principal emphasized that students returned to school smiling and already discussing future community projects.
Looking ahead, Carey stated that he hopes to build upon the 11-year tradition by identifying larger projects and uncovering additional opportunities for students to serve in the future.
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