Ethan School students learn the meaning of giving back to their community

May 12—ETHAN — Pride for community was on full display when Ethan students stepped out of the classroom to give back.

As the 2020-2021 school year wraps up, Ethan students scattered across the small town Wednesday to spruce up pockets of the community during the Ethan Rustler's Day of Giving Back. From applying a fresh coat of paint along the walls of the local American Legion to trimming shrubs at the baseball diamond, the group of students polished up the town that has supported their high school journey since day one.

For Cameryn Logan, a senior at Ethan High School, taking part in her final Rustler's Day of Giving Back was bittersweet, as it signals the end of her high school journey. But she said it's the perfect way to pay her respect before she graduates Saturday.

"They have done so much for us, so it's our turn to give back to them," Logan said while she painted the American Legion building on Ethan's Main Street.

The Rustler's Day of Giving Back was formed through a freshman leadership class that includes a community service project as part of the course curriculum. Instead of doing the project on their own, the group of freshmen in the class decided to get the school involved. Ethan students in elementary school, middle school and high school, took part in the community volunteer event.

Each grade level of students were assigned a project area to spruce up. At the baseball diamond were a group of freshmen students who trimmed bushes, picked up trash and tidied the concessions stand and press box.

Ethan freshman Rylan Gerlach was proud to see his fellow classmates come together for a special day of volunteering. As he landscaped some of the greenery at the baseball field, the freshman high school student and his classmates gained a sense of community togetherness.

"We have a great community, and this shows how much it means to us. We felt that we need to give back to the community with all the stuff they have done to help our school," Gerlach said.

Prior to dispersing around the town to volunteer, Katrina Hostler, family and consumer science teacher at Ethan High School, gave students a pep talk and explained what it means to be an active community member.

"The American Legion helped us get strider bikes for our kindergarten class... That's awesome, and not a lot of communities have that kind of support. This town and community is awesome," Hostler said to a gymnasium filled with Ethan students. "They are always stepping up and giving back to make sure that your future is bright."

Hostler pointed to the donations that the Ethan School District has received thanks to businesses and residents of Ethan as an example of what it means to care about community. She challenged the students to "take more pride" in their community.

"The idea behind this is that you have some big shoes to fill. The more that you can give back to your community, the more you are going to take in your community," Hostler said. "When you go down to the baseball park to watch a game, remember that your community came together to support that. Remember your community came together for you and our youth. Take pride in it, and take care of it. If we don't, it might not be there."

As someone who grew up and went to school in the Minneapolis metro area, Matthew McCormack, social science teacher at EHS, said the Rustler's Day of Giving Back is something that he never got to experience. Seeing the school district come together and show pride for the community is an important life lesson that McCormack said is not always taught in larger cities.

"This is just so cool to see how much these kids love their community. It's something that they will take with them no matter where they go," McCormack said.