RAPID CITY, SD — While Wednesday’s “Test-a-Palooza” day is a spectre marking the spring semester for many students in Rapid City, this year may have been different, as seniors exempt from testing, in lieu of a mid-week day off, gathered in droves to volunteer, giving their time to help members of their community, “modeling leadership, compassion, and civic responsibility” as RCAS Communication Manager Bobbi Schaefbauer says.

The main events kicked off at 8:30 and involved several schools, with students reading to elementary students and baking treats for shelter dogs at Central High, while Stevens was hard at work preparing Blankets for the homeless, Bonding Hearts for NICU infants, and meals for the hungry. 

Seniors found their hands full with the work on an 11:30 deadline before they were set to present the fruits of their labor, however when representatives from the RCPD, Meals on Wheels, and the Helpline Center arrived at Stevens’ gym they were greeted with bags upon bags of handmade crafts, with blankets alone needing a team of several students to bring to representatives. 

In prior years, seniors have often taken the optional NCRC, a test which aims to judge the career readiness of students. Senior volunteer Arabella Scott says that she feels volunteerism like this reflects something more meaningful however, promoting comradery between students and materially benefitting their community, “I feel like it’s a good moment of unity to see – oh we all came together. We could have been lazy. We could have not done it, but we all did it. and it’s going to be for the better”.