ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – Notre Dame High School teachers bring their senior class along for the refurbishing duties at Southside Community Center.

Every year the Notre Dame High Students are expecting to participate in a community engagement project with this year’s initiative being one that would serve a younger generation well.

Notre Dame High School students painting the walls of Southside Community Center.

The first-year teachers and students conducted a fundraiser the second year they gathered material for this community service project. This year they are reorganizing and painting the center for a new look and activity space.

Students who have lent their hand to help clean, paint, and decorate in this one-week project have learned a lot about collaborating with their peers.

“Overall, I’ve learned, you know, working with other people, people who I don’t normally talk to or associate with. It’s been great to work with everybody and, just have this hands-on experience with them,” said Justin Gordon, Notre Dame High School Student

Notre Dame High School Teachers and Students painting one of the rooms at Southside Community Center.

As the week continues the excitement builds for the Notre Dame High School staff, students, and the Elmira community.

“The biggest is to see the reaction of our kids because we’re going to close the gym off and they’re not going to be able to see it until it’s done. Friday, so I think that’s, that’s what I’m waiting for the most is just to see how excited the kids are gonna be,” said Anthony Novakowski, Youth Program Director, Southside Community Center

The Southside Community Center is hoping that the community will come to the unveiling at two fifteen on Friday, September 24, 2021, to see what the Notre Dame staff and students have done.