Juniors help community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day Thursday, March 03, 2011 By Nicole Penetrante Junior Emmaline Dolison paints a mural at P.S. 5 during the MLK Day of Service January 17. - Angel Cora Advertising About 100 juniors and a few seniors participated in the Martin Luther King Community Day of Service, along with students from other schools in Jersey City, to mark the 25th anniversary of the MLK Day of Service January 17 at  Public School No. 5 downtown. The MLK Day of Service started in 1994 to celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King on his birthday. MLK Jr. Day is a federal holiday that takes place every third Monday of January and serves as a national day of service. The students who participated in the community service day were accompanied by English teacher Angel Cora. “[I volunteered in the community service] because I [was] a part of a group that promotes charter schools,” Cora said. According to junior Kai Douglas, who participated in the event, she volunteered because he wanted to help people. “[I participated in the community service because] I was [going to be] helping people,” Douglas said. Students, like junior John Romero, said that they went because they felt required to participate. “[I participated] because I was obligated [to] by Mr. Cora,” Romero said. Junior Devon Moyd, who participated in the community service day at P.S. No. 5, said that students were able to choose what they wanted to do. “[The] constructors of the program [gave us] choices,” Moyd said. “Some of the choices we had were painting murals in the classrooms and hallways or painting the glass on the railing, walls and the basement.” Romero said he had a good time during the program because he was with his friends, helping people, and even found the work fun. “I liked painting the murals because I love to paint,” he said. Douglas said that it was a fun experience and she would do it again. “It feels good [to help] others,” she said. “[The community service] was a joyful and different experience,” Douglas said. “I felt like what [the people at the community service] were trying to do was accomplished.” Moyd said that at first he thought it would be a lot of work, but turned out to be a learning experience. “I learned that when you help someone, you’re helping yourself become a better person.”

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