Francis Scott Key High students and staff tap into talents during day of service event

Francis Scott Key High School’s Sources of Strength program and Generosity Planning Committee hosted their first schoolwide public service day Friday, which they hope to make an annual event.

The effort was led by art teacher Mickey Brilhart, who is also coordinator of the school’s Sources of Strength program. For about an hour on the school’s campus in Union Bridge, students were tasked with choosing from 29 activities aimed at cleaning up the school’s campus and helping out the larger community.

“You feel better when you are generous by helping someone out [and] we want students to try to recognize their strengths and figure out which of those activities they’re good at,” Brilhart said.

The event included activities such as painting kindness rocks, writing notes for older community members or cancer patients, making blankets for the nonprofit Project Linus, building a Little Free Library and various campus beautification projects.

All teachers and students were involved in a service-related project or activity on Friday, Brilhart said.

A follow-up day is planned to distribute the items made to various community partners, according to Jennifer Adcock, the school’s career connections coordinator.

“My hope is that we can continue this event at least once a year,” Brilhart said.