---

The Asbury Park High School football team took to weeding Thursday morning at Interfaith Neighbors’ Kula Urban Farm and around the Springwood Avenue Center that houses Kula Café and the Senior Center.

The community service endeavor was a collaboration between Interfaith Neighbors and the school district’s College and Career Readiness program, with guidance from the city’s Environment and Shade Tree Commission’s Director Tom Pivinski.

“This is an excellent opportunity of the community working together,” said Lamont Repollet, district superintendent.

The students, who arrived near 9 a.m. Thursday morning were given a quick tutorial on differentiating between weeds and the plants they were cast to restore, Pivinski said. For 2½ hours, the 35-member football team worked to weed the south corner of the senior center building where a longs strip of plants were under a heavy weed infestation. They also weeded the front entrance of the Springwood Avenue building, its surrounding plots and the Kula Farm area.

“They did an excellent job,” Pivinski said. “For not being used to doing that kind of work, they took instruction well.”

Part of the challenge was ensuring the weeds’ roots were extricated properly in order to prevent spreading.

“They worked slowly with trowels to get the entire weed system out,” Pivinski said.

The hard morning’s work was followed with a luncheon hosted by the senior center and its members.

“The whole purpose of this was to establish a relationship with the seniors and to do something for them,” Pivinski said. “This was an intergenerational experience.”

With a mission of building a brighter future for their student’s, the district’s College and Career Readiness program aims to find volunteer and internship opportunities for the city’s youth, said its Director Brian Stokes.

“The goal is to have the students understand this is their community and what volunteering their time is all about,” Stokes said. “We want them to learn early on that there is so much competition on the collegiate level and in today’s job, especially for intercity students. These community service endeavors demonstrate what they are capable of and are not only resume builders but also confidence builders.”

Thus far, Interfaith Neighbors, the Chamber of Commerce’s Jackie Pappas, and local business owners have all provided volunteer and internship opportunities, Stokes said. Students have been placed at Cookman Avenue’s words! Bookstore and 1^st Constitution Bank, as well as Pat Fasano’s Fasano’s Property Management.

“They’ve been enjoying the opportunity to serve,” said Stokes, who will have a contingent of students volunteering at this weekend’s Chamber of Commerce sponsored Jazz Festival as well as at its upcoming Oysterfest. “These initiatives are helping to build self-esteem and leadership training.”

For more information about the College and Career Readiness program call, (732) 776-2638, ext 2689 or visit school district’s homepage.

[Photos courtesy of Interfaith Neighbors]

———————————————————-

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

---