Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School students in the Project Connect Mentorship Program recently joined middle school students for a cleanup project, uniting high school mentors with eighth grade mentees as they prepare for the transition to high school.

The event provided students with an opportunity to collaborate in service of their school community while learning more about environmental stewardship and civic responsibility. High school members of the SOUL Community Outreach, Adopt-a-Highway, and Ecology Club joined forces with the middle school’s Project Connect, offering eighth graders a firsthand look at the purpose, mission and impact of these student-led organizations.

As part of the program’s monthly “Club Highlight” initiative, the experience also served as an introduction for middle schoolers to the wide range of extracurricular opportunities available at the high school level. Through direct interaction with club members, students were able to explore potential areas of interest as they look ahead to joining the high school community.