STUDENTS SHOW THEY CARE — Steubenville High School students will show that Big Red Cares, as a series of service projects will be done throughout the school and around the community on Thursday. Students will take part in more than a dozen projects, including creating treats and walking dogs at the Jefferson County Humane Society. Among those to take part are, from left, Luca Holt, Stella Schiappa, Sarah Sullivan, Elana Hazelip and Gaby Vein, who will be giving back to the humane society through the Rotary Interact Club. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Steubenville High School students will be giving back by performing community service as part of the annual Big Red Cares initiative set for Thursday.

Each of the school’s 722 students will take part in the event with their homeroom adviser. A variety of projects will take place throughout the day, according to school officials.

Services include making Easter baskets and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the Friendship Room; playing cards and spending time with residents at Catherine’s Care Center; posting positive messages around the school; making lunches for those at the Friendship Room, Urban Mission and other organizations; making cards for seniors; creating kindness cards for seniors and nursing homes; making treat bags for Steubenville STARS students; giving doughnuts to district cafeteria workers and janitors; delivering care packages to the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities; making soap for the Friendship Room; holding a sock drive; filling plastic eggs for the Beatty Park Easter Egg Hunt; reading to preschoolers; distributing smile cookies downtown; assisting at McKinley STEM Academy; making dog and cat treats for the Jefferson County Humane Society; writing thank-you notes to SHS staff members; cleaning up outside the building and its flower garden, delivering food and walking the dogs at the animal shelter; writing gratitude notes to individuals who supported their education; aiding the Cancer Dietary Initiative; making kindness cubes for school staff and cleaning up at the Steubenville Marina.

“Big Red Cares is a community service project that all students in the high school participate in,” sttated Adele Filtz, dean of students. “This is an annual initiative, but homerooms choose their projects each year based on student input.”

Filtz said the purpose of the project is to remind students to give back to their community.

“It fosters personal and social growth, along with civic responsibility, and promotes volunteerism,” she stated. “Ultimately, a community service project is about making a meaningful impact, while gaining valuable life skills and experiences. The students are always eager to participate and be active in their community. They have direct access to the project by choosing what they will complete. This creates ownership and accountability.”