Making a Difference: Parker Students Lend a Hand to Community
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Parker School students donned work clothes, gloves and positive attitudes, ready to make a difference on their campus and throughout the Waimea community. They scrubbed buildings, washed cars, and picked up trash. They visited hospital patients, hung holiday decorations, and cuddled homeless animals. Students from lower school to high school labored in observance of Make a Difference Day, the nation's "largest day of doing good."

"It was a good experience to help out the community and just do your part," said tenth-grader Kenyon Smith.

While students and faculty on one side of campus removed old bottles, a rusty bike, and other trash from areas bordering Waikoloa Stream, students and faculty on the other side scrubbed minivans, sedans, and sports cars.

"I think we really helped a lot of people and washed their cars really well," said sixth-grader Elijah Kanuha.

More than $200 in donations from the car wash station will be given to the local food bank.

Dog lover Leila Moniz, an eleventh grader, cooed about the puppies at the Hawaii Island Humane Society. She and ninth-grader Mary Kamitaki were among the students there who cleaned kennels and helped bathe the young animals. Other students cleaned the outside of the building.

"We gave them what they really needed because a lot of them are abused and underloved," Mary said. "It was worth our time."

North Hawaii Hospice, Tutu's House, Waimea Nature Park, Thelma Parker Gym, Annunciation Church and Waimea Elderly Housing also benefited from the Parker students' generous spirits and hardworking hands.

All in all, the day of volunteerism was a hit among the Parker School students. Make a Difference Day, now in its 17th year, was started in 2000 by USA Weekend magazine. It officially is the fourth Saturday of every October, but Parker observes it the Friday before.

"I think it's cool," said senior Tatianna Brown. "I really enjoy it!"