A group of middle school students from Beacon Middle School dedicated their Friday, May 29th, to community service and civic education during their annual Give Back Day in Rehoboth Beach.
The seventh and eighth-grade participants selected from multiple volunteer opportunities in the region, with those choosing the municipal visit engaging in hands-on activities designed to teach them about local government operations while contributing to their community.
The day kicked off at City Hall, where Mayor Stan Mills welcomed the students in the Mayor and Commissioners Room. During this session, the mayor demonstrated the voting process and explained how municipal decisions are made. The young visitors then took turns sitting in the official seats to practice mock governance, debating topics like pet and bicycle policies for beach areas, as well as student homework requirements. Predictably, the mock council voted against homework assignments.
Following their government lesson, the students walked to the Bandstand for interviews with CoastTV and created appreciation messages using sidewalk chalk. Their next stop involved a beach cleaning initiative, though the Public Works Department had already done such thorough work that little debris remained for collection.
At Beach Patrol headquarters, Chief Brian provided insights into the qualifications and responsibilities required for Rehoboth Beach lifeguard positions.
The group then moved to Central Park for a tree-planting project aimed at replacing vegetation lost during February’s major snowstorm.
Additional activities included a Police Department tour guided by School Resource Officer Rob Scisco, lunch at the Convention Center, and concluding their busy schedule with a visit to the Rehoboth Beach Museum where they assembled a time capsule.
The comprehensive day of learning and service was made possible through the coordination and supervision of Ms. Kisiel and Ms. Luff, who organized and accompanied the student group throughout their community engagement activities.
