Students from Abby Baker’s Jobs for Maine’s Graduates program at Durham Community School thought they’d have a fun time when they visited the Coastal Humane Society in Brunswick, petting the animals.

The students did that, all right, but what they didn’t know was that they’d be encountering doggy do, cat hair and dried-on pet food. It was cleaning day, alas, at the animal shelter.

The work that the 19 Jobs for Maine’s Graduates students did was among many examples of the things young people are doing in the community this time of year. A local Girl Scout troop made ornaments for the Christmas tree at Freeport Community Services. Another Jobs for Maine’s Graduates group, this one from Freeport Middle School, conducted a food drive. The reading club at Freeport Middle School had a book swap and brought in gently used books for the Read to Succeed program at Freeport Community Services.

Baker said that the Durham students got to play with the animals, but mostly it was cleaning cages, washing the animals’ dishes and toys, and cleaning up the outdoor dog yard.

“The kids did some pooper scooping,” Baker said. “The kids were really working hard. At first they were maybe expecting to be playing with the animals, but once they began their tasks, they took to it. The kids were amazing. They were elbow-deep in cleaning. They were awesome.”

Any time students can get out and serve the community, Baker said, represents a great way to develop the type of leadership skills Jobs for Maine’s Graduates wants to promote.

“The humane society was really accepting and great with the students,” she said. “The students showed a real interest in helping animals, so that was a natural thing to go there.”

Baker is in her second year at the specialist for the Durham Jobs for Maine Graduates group, which also is in its second year. The program started out with a proverbial bang, as the statewide organization recognized the Durham students for turning in 1,067 hours of community service – most in the state. Craig Larrabee, who leads the Jobs for Maine Graduates program, presented the award to Baker in August. Those students are now freshmen at Freeport High School.

“I wish the students would have been there to receive it with me,” Baker said, “because they put in a lot of hours.”

At Freeport Middle School, Jill Hooper, school librarian and instructor for the “Eat, Read, Laugh” club, said that the group of sixth- and seventh-graders meets monthly during lunch and recess.

Last week’s book swap was a seventh-grade enterprise.

“It was a holiday celebration,” Hooper said. “They brought in gently loved books, and each took one home. Some kids brought in three or four, and only took home one. They decided the leftovers should go to Freeport Community Services. I had been talking with (executive director) Melanie Sachs, who said they were looking for picture books and other books for younger readers.”

Hooper brought the box of books over to Freeport Community Services.

“These seventh-graders are a wonderful, caring group of kids,” she said. “We thought it would be fun to give gifts to each other, but to share with others, as well. They definitely think outside themselves. They were really happy that they were giving books to Freeport Community Services. The kids are very community oriented.”

One girl, Samantha Zahares, gave an especially nice part of herself, Hooper related.

“She gave books from her collection,” Hooper said. “She used to pretend that she did book signings and had her signatures inside the books.”

In Pownal, fourth-graders in Girl Scouts Troop 1774, led by parent Bonnie Mosier, donated and collected a big barrel of canned goods for Freeport Community Services, and will deliver it late this week.

School Principal Lisa Demick said that the Girl Scouts set cardboard boxes outside each classroom, and emptied the boxes into a big yellow barrel in the school. It’s an annual effort, Demick said.

“We always like to see our kids at this time of year, when kids are thinking about presents, that they are thinking about other people,” Demick said. “We hear it’s going to be a tough year for some people out there.”

Jobs for Maine’s Graduates students from Durham Community School at the Coastal Humane Society in Brunswick on Dec. 11, where they pitched in during a cleaning day.