Old Rochester students give back at the second annual Day of Giving
One student works on her wreath decked out in an Old Rochester Regional High School sweatshirt. Photos by Mari Huglin 
One student smiles with his craft.
Caroline Gallagher sees where she can help the elementary schoolers out.
Bridget Coryer and Libby Achilles smile with a student.
Markers and crayons were used to decorate wreaths as well.
Henry Achilles helps out at the school he used to go to.
High schoolers help out some younger students.
Students of the Sippican School Band play morning music for their peers.
Bridget Coryer helps students with their crafts.
Multiple pieces of colored paper were used to tape and glue the wreath together.
A Keith Harring mural stands out in the hallway of Sippican School.
Some students practice broadcast journalism skills during the assembly.
6th grade students lead the school with kindness.
Kindness Matters at Sippican School.
Students made kindness wreaths to give to one another.
At Old Hammondtown, high school students got in on the action. Source: ORRHS Facebook Page 
Some chose to stay at Old Rochester and paint buoys for the Marion Buoys of Hope. Source: ORRHS Facebook Page
Students make crafts together at Old Hammondtown. Source: ORRHS Facebook Page
One student works on her wreath decked out in an Old Rochester Regional High School sweatshirt. Photos by Mari Huglin
One student smiles with his craft.
Caroline Gallagher sees where she can help the elementary schoolers out.
Bridget Coryer and Libby Achilles smile with a student.
Markers and crayons were used to decorate wreaths as well.
Henry Achilles helps out at the school he used to go to.
High schoolers help out some younger students.
Students of the Sippican School Band play morning music for their peers.
Bridget Coryer helps students with their crafts.
Multiple pieces of colored paper were used to tape and glue the wreath together.
A Keith Harring mural stands out in the hallway of Sippican School.
Some students practice broadcast journalism skills during the assembly.
6th grade students lead the school with kindness.
Kindness Matters at Sippican School.
Students made kindness wreaths to give to one another.
At Old Hammondtown, high school students got in on the action. Source: ORRHS Facebook Page
Some chose to stay at Old Rochester and paint buoys for the Marion Buoys of Hope. Source: ORRHS Facebook Page
Students make crafts together at Old Hammondtown. Source: ORRHS Facebook Page
MARION — Old Rochester Regional High School students spread across the Tri-town to give back to their community and continue a new tradition.
Students and staff members met at Old Rochester early Wednesday, Nov. 26 before heading off in buses to their work sites or staying to work on service projects on campus. Each group was made up of around 20 to 40 people.
Assistant Principal Lauren Millette began the Day of Giving last year, having introduced a similar day of service at other schools she previously worked at.
“We felt like having the kids learn about community service and the teamwork, collaboration and communication that goes into working together for a common good was really important,” Millette said.
A handful of students helped at Sippican Elementary School in Marion. They worked with the elementary school students to create kindness wreaths filled with positive messages to give to classmates.
Caroline Gallagher, of Mattapoisett. and Violet LaFountain, of Fairhaven, are two sophomores who helped out at Sippican. Gallagher is in the early childhood education program at Old Rochester looking to practice her skills.
“I'm excited to help out with all the kids and help out the teachers because I know some of them here,” Gallagher said.
She said her brother and his friends volunteered when she was at Old Hammondtown Elementary.
“It was so fun to see the older kids because you always just wanted to hang out with them,” Gallagher said, “It was just super fun. I think that's going to be fun for us today.”
LaFountain and Galagher agreed they wanted to be role models for the young students because they looked up to their older peers in the past. Both sophomores also wanted to show off Old Rochester Regional High School and what their community is all about.
“I think it's cool to really show them what Old Rochester is about because there's obviously other [high] schools,” Gallagher said. “I think we really want to draw people to Old Rochester because it's such an amazing school.”
Students chose service sites based on their passions. Some students and staff members even recommended sites to work at.
“A lot of what was run today or offered today came directly from the students and the staff saying, ‘Hey, I really want to do this,’ which I think is amazing to be able to own the activity and to know they made a difference in something that they care about,” Millette said.
Off campus, some students cleared blueberry bushes with the Mattapoisett Land Trust, did yardwork for veterans and created social media posts for the Mattapoisette Museum and Library.
Others stayed on campus, repainting light poles in the parking lot and painting buoys for Buoys of Hope, an organization raising money for unsheltered people in the area.
“Student voice and staff voice was at the heart of today, and I think that's what helps to make it such a success,” Millette said.
She said the tradition stays alive because of the compassion and energy of the students who care for one another and their community.
“I think being a Bulldog is extremely important to them and when you're a Bulldog, you care about others,” Millette said. “You want to give back.”
