Brocton students clean outside the school.

Students in grades six through 12 spent the day carrying out service projects aimed at addressing needs within their local community. From visiting nursing homes and rehabilitation centers to cleaning up local parks and the Rails to Trails system, students worked to make a tangible difference. Others contributed by partnering with the Portland Museum, enhancing school grounds, and visiting the local American Legion. At the Legion, students presented handcrafted wooden signs created in their technology classes honoring each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Despite less-than-ideal weather conditions, student enthusiasm remained high throughout the day.

“This was real learning,” principal Micah Oldham noted, pointing to student reflections during an end-of-day debrief as evidence of the program’s impact.

Sixth-grade student Christian Siskar reflected, “Sharing kindness is better than getting it because it just makes you feel so good.”

Students assist in cleaning at a Rails to Trails location.

Sophomore Noah Berdyck emphasized the broader impact of the day, saying, “We control our community, so why not make it better more often?”

“You can make people really happy by doing simple things,” added sixth-grader Mikhailia Erikson.

Students also spoke about the most meaningful aspects of their experiences. Senior Liam McCausland highlighted the importance of collaboration, noting that being “part of a group and doing something worthwhile” stood out most. Eighth-grade student Josh Lanski found satisfaction in visible results, saying, “Seeing how clean it looked after the trash was picked up made me realize that we made a difference.”

For seventh-grader Sophia Flores, the emotional impact was clear: “The most meaningful part of the experience was the residents’ smiles because I was glad I could put a smile on someone else’s face.”

The overwhelmingly positive feedback from students reinforced the day’s purpose: to foster a sense of responsibility and civic engagement. School leaders view Better World Day as a key step toward their long-term goal of developing active, engaged citizens. If the program continues annually, current sixth-grade students will complete seven service projects by the time they graduate in 2032.

Planning for Better World Day began as an idea last summer and evolved through months of preparation by staff and students alike.

While the rain may have dampened the ground, it did little to dampen spirits. By the end of the day, students returned not only with stories of service, but with a deeper understanding of their ability to create positive change.