FIRST EVER Community Connect Day A Huge Success

On Tuesday, November 21, Sayville High School hosted its first ever Community Connect Day. 

This exciting event celebrated the importance of volunteer work and giving back and allowed all students, staff and faculty to be immersed in some facet of community service for the day. 

Students were separated into activity groups with a couple of teachers supervising each group. There were 29 activity groups total with 21 volunteering off campus and eight on-campus. Before starting their day students received a Community Connect Day t-shirt and viewed a video imparting the value of being civically active in the community. 

Student groups volunteered at locations and organizations, such as the Baymen Soccer Club, Brookside County Park, Every Child’s Dream, Sayville Library and Brightview Assisted Living. 

Around midday, the student groups gathered together to eat lunch and attend debriefing workshops about their volunteer work. 

To finish off the day, students, faculty and staff gathered in the gymnasium to watch a video montage of all the amazing photos taken throughout the day. 

“On this day, our students were able to garner a greater appreciation for what it means to provide a service to their community,” said Sayville High School Principal Mr. Ron Hoffer. “We concluded the day with a celebration and imparted the following quote by Gandhi which epitomizes the day, ‘the best way to find oneself is to lose oneself in the service of others.’

Sayville Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Ferris reiterated the sentiment. 

“When a large group of people set out to do good for others, the outcomes are exponentially profound on many different levels,” Dr. Ferris said.

“Students connected with community members, each other, and our staff in the act of giving service to others.  This not only made a difference throughout our community, but it also helped our students experience the power and importance of giving and connecting to our community.  We are so proud of our students and staff and look forward to many more service-learning opportunities moving forward!”