"We believe that serving others is both beneficial for the organizations we support as well as for our students' personal well-being," said Stephen Fulmer dean of students at Manheim Central High School. "Serving others creates a sense of purpose, community and also allows students to learn perspectives from outside of their everyday circles."

With that in mind, about 330 juniors and seniors at the high school, along with students in the School to Work program, participated in Going Beyond, a day of community service held in October.

"We partnered with 17 organizations at 21 different locations," Fulmer explained. "We primarily worked with organizations in Manheim, Mount Joy, Lititz and downtown Lancaster city." Organizations included the Manheim Central elementary schools and middle school, Pleasant View Communities, Clare House, Manheim Borough and the Manheim Historical Society.

"Our students were involved in a variety of different tasks. Some groups were landscaping, others were working on administrative tasks, others were assisting teachers in classrooms, others were painting pavilions for Manheim Borough and the concession stand at the Rettew Stadium," Fulmer shared. "Other groups were directly interacting with residents of residential homes. Some organizations offered a brief presentation and/or tour of their facilities and shared the mission and information about their organizations for students to learn more how these great organizations serve people both locally and internationally."

He added that the high school's Baron Nation Network film crew accompanied students throughout the day, capturing photos and video to show the collective student body highlights of the day at a later date.

Students signed up for their volunteer project, choosing an organization with a mission that matters to them. This method aims to build student enthusiasm for the effort and ensures a strong working partnership with the organization. "The organizations we support absolutely love hosting our students," Fulmer commented. "Tasks that may take one or two people weeks to accomplish are completed within a matter of hours due to hosting our student groups."

Likewise, the students have given positive feedback about the program. "The students really enjoy this day," Fulmer said. "Students are often surprised to learn of these great organizations that are right here in our backyard. Students come away from the day feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after giving back."

Fulmer emphasized that the Going Beyond program is always looking for community partners, and he encourages organizations to reach out to him at the high school for more information. "I imagine there are organizations that could benefit from our support that we may not be aware of," he said. "Our desire is to give back and support our community."

He noted that the program has long-term benefits for the students beyond one day of service.

"Learning from others' successes and challenges across a variety of age groups and demographics provides opportunities to grow in empathy and understanding," Fulmer said. "These opportunities also allow students to better understand their own personal interests, skill sets and potential future paths to explore."