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Streamwood students, volunteers pitch in for annual Comcast Cares Day

Streamwood High School got a facelift Saturday, as more than 300 students and volunteers took part in the school's third annual Comcast Cares Day.

Some set to work spreading mulch, planting trees, and painting light posts and athletic sheds that had sprouted patches of rust over the years.

Others worked inside, updating walls covered in dark colors for decades with fresh coats of white paint, transforming stairway banisters to a sleek black.

Comcast provided roughly $10 of supplies for every person registered for the event. Debra Marton, a manager of corporate affairs for Comcast, said students that take part in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program with the company helped identify and plan projects.

The event has ballooned in size since it's first year in 2013, when 50 people registered.

Along with Streamwood students, Saturday's attendees included Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig, Democratic state Senate candidate Cristina Castro and husband Joe McKeown of Elgin.

Principal Ariel Correa said Streamwood High School advertised the event weeks in advance, through signs, morning announcements, and features in the high school's newsletter and television news channel.

"It's incredible - I cant imagine any parent doesn't know it's not Comcast Cares Day," at this point, Correa said.

Students were also able to use the volunteer hours to clean up any detentions they might have on their high school record, which can stand in the way of them attending events like prom.

Correa said the work is part of a long-range plan he has for updating the appearance of the school.

"This for me is a two-year development. Beautifying the school today serves as a jumping off point," Correa said.

  Michael Gonzalez of Hanover Park, a parent of a Streamwood High School student, helps plant flowers during a community service event at the school Saturday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Streamwood High School freshmen Emily Rangel, left, and Haydee Perez help plant flowers during a community service event at the school Saturday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Streamwood High School freshman Ava Sumoski helps paint a base coat on a donated piano that is to be decorated with artwork during a community service event at the school Saturday. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
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