By Kylie Juelsgaard

On Wednesday, Oct. 16,  Atlantic High School took a day off of school and went to different places around the community to help clean up and do different projects to give back to the community.  AHS has “Learning Service Day” every other year. Usually it is in the spring, but this year it was in the fall. It may also take place again in the spring.

Sophomore Garrett Schwanke said, “I like working and this is better than being inside at school.” Schwanke’s seminar class, along with the new agriculture teacher Eric Miller, worked at the fairgrounds painting picnic tables, trimming branches on the trees around the food stands, and fixing the rotting wood on the concession stands.

Sophomore Darien Mills said, “I do not enjoy this very much because it’s very cold outside.” Her seminar class and advisor, science teacher Kathy Hobson, went downtown to mulch the trees on the corners of every block.

While in weights teacher Nick Ross’s seminar, junior Kate Fulk said, “It’s a good learning experience and I would rather be here than in school and give back to the community.” They were out at the Schildberg rock quarry mulching trees.

Junior Mollee Welter said, “I think it was a great experience being able to give back to our community.” History teacher Trace Petersen is Welter’s seminar teacher, and his class painted a 102-year-old’s home on Birch Street.

Junior Courtney Jensen said it was nice to get out of school.  “I enjoyed going around to help out others. Health teacher, Casey Pelzer is Jensen’s seminar adviser.  Pelzer’s seminar class went around the Atlantic Golf and Country Club to collect canned foods. Other seminars including those of Jennifer Hartwig, Derek Bair, Kathy Bradfield, Paul Iekel, Liz Huggins, Natalie Ross, and Matt Smith also canvassed different neighborhoods to collect cans for the food pantry.

Overall, the students had a good experience giving back to their community.