Stratford Big Day Draws 600 Student Volunteers

Photo by Ethan Godinez

Talk about giving back! The Second Annual Big Day sponsored by Stratford High School for campus and community area improvements and volunteering drew 600 students and 100 more parents and adult volunteers on Saturday, April 25.

Big Day projects this year included campus painting and landscaping, faith-based emergency food preparation help, and both commercial and homeowner clean-up and improvement tasks. By Big Day’s end, Stratford High, the surrounding areas, and all of Spring Branch ISD was an improved place to learn, live and work.

View this year’s Big Day video >>

Stratford High School’s Big Day began in 2014. Although bad weather forced 600 students inside at the beginning on April 25, by Big Day’s end the volunteers were able do a ton of work around the community.

They’ve helped establish and secure a tradition that will continue to impact the community for years to come, organizers say.

Photo by Ethan Godinez

The 600 students and 100 adult volunteers did yard work at four houses, gardened, spent quality time with residents at a retirement home, helped fix a neighborhood pool, created 2,000 care packages for kids in need, created and distributed 40 care packages for the homeless, mulched 150 trees, cleaned up and revived two school courtyards, aided 20 local businesses, as well as other projects.

“You all are amazing!” proclaims Stratford High Principal Danny Gex in a video segment. “More than 600 kids have come up to work on community projects and to make sure Stratford looks really excellent all over planting, power washing, putting down fertilizer, painting and sanding.”

Student Jacob Peter described the scene at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. “We’re here assembling food donations for underprivileged area kids. This organization, Blessings in a Backpack, feeds close to 600 kids in Spring Branch and downtown areas at multiple locations,” he said. “We are assembling food bags. They will be delivered now and throughout the summer.”

Lydia Miller, owner of the Glazed Over store, thanked students as they worked in front of her store cleaning windows for free. “They are doing a lot of good stuff in the neighborhood. You don’t see this happen much anymore!”

To learn more about Stratford High, please visit http://ssh.springbranchisd.com/.

This year’s event video was compiled by Holton Hockaday.