Stepping up to serve others

MONROEVILLE — Service with a smile. Students at Monroeville High School are required to perform at least 40 service hours in order to graduate. It is something the school takes seriously, and from hearing all of the numbers — so are the students. These Eagles are soaring to new heights. Students in grades 7-12 attended a service fair on Friday at the school and got the chance to listen to a number of speakers. After keynote speaker Judy Murdock spoke to the entire crowd, students broke up into smaller sessions and got to pick who they wanted to hear from. Murdock, a board member with the Piggyback Foundation and When Pigs Fly, said by everything that she has heard, Monroeville students are well on their way to bright futures when it comes to giving back. Organizations represented were: • American Red Cross • Athletic Boosters • Blue Collar • Catholic Charities • Fish & Loaves • Habitat for Humanity • Humane Society • Huron County 4-H • Lefty Grove • Norwalk Area United Fund • Norwalk Parks and Recreation • ODNR • Ohio Veterans Home • Old Woman Creek • Reach Our Youth • The Salvation Army • The Willows • Victory Kitchen • When Pigs Fly "It gets them in front of places where they can volunteer and give back ... a place where they can do some service hours," Monroeville athletic director Ben Paul said about the event. "Each student needs to do 10 hours of service each year ... 40 hours by the time they graduate." The last two years were basically shut down because of COVID-19, but Paul said it's back to business. "It might be a good idea to ask some questions ... don't be afraid to ask some questions," he said. Monroeville High School Principal Jim Kaczor said students are buying into the program. "This year we have 17 students who are seniors, so far, who will get a community service graduation seal attached to their diploma," he said. "They have gone above and beyond with 60 service hours. "We have students here who have taken it upon themselves to go above and beyond." Kaczor said this senior class has set the bar high for all of the classes to follow. "More than 5,000 hours total for the senior class," he said. "They currently stand at 5,028 hours. I believe this senior class is the class with the highest number of community hours ever. "Over the time we have had our program, Monroeville has 24,261 hours of community service," Kaczor added. "That equals 606 40-hour work weeks. ... That would be the equivalent of one person for the next 12 years working 40-hour weeks. "Let's hear it for all of you."