FAIRMONT — Fairmont High School’s (FHS) annual ‘Cardinal Give Back Day’ service day event is right around the corner, teaching students the significance of community assistance and teamwork. As their thanks to the Fairmont community for unwavering support with extracurricular activities, academics and more, FHS is opening applications for student service projects for this event to help locals on October 25.

The event, conventionally anticipated in spring, has transitioned to being held in October.

High School Principal Chad Brusky explained that in spring, many projects are already being completed by individuals and businesses themselves, therefore holding the event in the fall offers students a headstart before the community begins the work themselves.

“It’s an important opportunity to get students involved in the community,” Brusky stated. He noted that the Give Back Day had existed with FHS long before his position at the high school, and has, for several years, been a testament to the generosity and selflessness of the youth in Fairmont.

For this event, students perform a variety of tasks, helping individuals and businesses alike, including but not limited to landscaping, yard work, park maintenance, garage and basement cleanings, window washing, gutter cleaning, home improvements, downtown cleaning and more. Not only has the event been positively received by the public, but it is shown to be an entertaining experience for students themselves and their peers.

“It’s so inspiring to see [students] talking about their service projects when they all come back to the school,” Brusky shared.

The event is very dependent on applications delivered by community members to seek out service projects. However, high school staff assist and partner with student advisories. Once service projects are selected, they are distributed to students. According to Brusky, junior high students (grades 7th and 8th) perform projects more closely to school grounds, while senior high students (grades 9th-12th) branch out to the city of Fairmont and the entirety of Martin County.

“We try to complete 50 projects total [annually],” Brusky said, noting the typical goal the student body has. “We try to work really hard to get each and every project done.”

Brusky additionally shared that the event has received remarkable feedback from those the students have assisted with their service projects.

“Every year, we tend to get a lot of emails of gratitude,” Brusky said. “It’s another way for us to show gratitude to the community by seeing the students in action. Students themselves can see the positive impact their positive actions have, and give exposure to the community.”

Brusky and the staff at FHS hope that the students who have completed their annual service project are left with the encouragement to keep striving to help others throughout the school district and Martin County as a whole.

“Hopefully, the students learn about the importance of unexpected gratitude, and how important simple acts of kindness are. The impact is lasting,” Brusky explained.

As a new addition to the event, the school is transitioning into offering on-demand student volunteers for projects year round. The application for service projects will be available on the school’s website beyond the event date. Once filled, the school will organize a group of volunteer individuals from FHS to assist with the matter.

“[The school] wants to make sure service is always relevant and not just once every school year,” he said.

Brusky described that the Cardinal Give Back Day is mandatory and highly encouraged for students. He expressed that his and the staff’s goal for the event this year is to ensure all students enrolled at FHS can lend a hand with a project and make a meaningful impact on the Fairmont community.

Applications for student service projects are due on October 7. There is no fee, requirements, or qualifications to apply. The school will inform the applicant if their project has been accepted, and will organize plans for students to arrive before the event on October 25. For additional information and inquiries, contact the FHS administrative office at (507) 238-4411 or Principal Brusky himself at CBrusky@fairmont.k12.mn.us