Independence students give back to the community during homecoming week

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (KCRG) - When you think “homecoming week”... spirit days and parades are usually the first things that come to mind... not cleaning cemeteries. But that’s exactly what students from Independence set out to do Wednesday.

With a little bit of elbow grease... and determination... students from the Independence school district took time during their homecoming week to give back to the community... Cleaning gravestones at Oakwood Cemetery.

”It’s just... it’s something respectful to do for the people who came before us,” said Gable Eddy, 8th grader.

”To show respect for loved ones of the people who have passed away,” said Tavah Stevens, 7th grader.

It’s something the school hasn’t gotten to do since COVID hit.

School staff said they hope the event teaches students about giving back to something bigger than themselves.

”It’s a day where it’s a little bit goofy because it’s homecoming, and we understand that. But we also wanna let them know that hey, they can give back to the community,” said Dewey Hupke, Independence Assistant Principal.

Sydney Schwartz is a senior at Independence and the co-president of the student council.

She and other students were the ones to organize the event.

”It gives me chills to see all these students who are usually rambunctious little teenagers in the hallways and they’re all coming together and more than willing to go out of their way to do something for our community and those who came before us,” said Schwartz.

Hupke said the district is looking to expand the day of volunteering to different community service activities in the future.

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