The cleanup of tornado damage in the Central Illinois community of Gifford is bringing out more than the volunteer efforts of the Red Cross and United Way.
Most of the student population at nearby Armstrong Township High School was out of the classroom, as part of day of service for about 100 teens, or all but 30 of them.
The schools’ superintendent and at least one student lost homes in the storm. Amy Schleef teaches business at Armstrong Township High School, and says everyone in the school knows someone affected.
“Right now we’re focused on cleaning up the field, a lot of kids grown up on farms. They know what it’s like to have stuff laying out. It’s our way of contributing the way we know how.”
Students worked until 2 p.m. Tuesday. Schleef says another community service day is planned for Wednesday, with even more students and staff.