WUSTL students give back during Service First

Sept. 4, 2009 -- As anyone who has ever volunteered will say, giving back can become addictive.

While more than 1,000 Washington University freshmen prepare to help clean up local schools Sept. 5 for the upcoming year, a group of seniors has led the way, reliving memories and celebrating the spirit of community service. The seniors gathered in late August to participate in a Service First reunion project.

"The purpose of Service First is to introduce our first-year students to public service and ongoing community service projects," said Stephanie Kurtzman, director of the Community Service Office and associate director of the Richard A. Gephardt Institute for Public Service.

"It's exciting to see that these seniors took our vision to heart, have continued to volunteer in the community and launched their own 'Service First 4.0' with great success," Kurtzman said.

The 11th annual Service First will be held Saturday, Sept. 5, at 12 St. Louis area schools. Approximately 90 students will head to each school to paint indoor and outdoor murals, activities and maps on the playground; create bulletin boards; and assist teachers in preparing classrooms.

New this year, transfer and exchange students will simultaneously be offering service to Gateway Greening in their own version of Service First.

Volunteers will work at the schools from approximately 12:30 p.m.-5 p.m. They then will return to the University for a community service fair on the South 40, where they will learn more about the myriad community service opportunities in which they can get involved during their time at WUSTL.

Service First began in 1999 with about 600 student volunteers helping to clean and beautify scenic trails. It has grown and flourished each year, with more than 1,000 students, staff and faculty volunteers participating.

Schools to be visited this year are Busch, Cole, Dewey, Long, L'Ouverture, Roosevelt, Vashon, Woodward and Yeatman in the St. Louis Public School District; Flynn Park in the School District of University City; Wellston Early Childhood Center; and KIPP: Inspire Academy.

Service First is funded by the University and numerous generous donors, including the Washington University Women's Society and local and national businesses.

For media assistance the day of the event, contact Kurtzman on her cell phone at (314) 974-6265.