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Discover volunteers help Waukegan school prepare for start of classes

Posted August 03, 2017 1:00 am

By Steve Lundy

Marci Williams of Hawthorn Woods and Bill Yundt of McHenry build planter boxes Thursday at LEARN9 Charter School in Waukegan. They were among 300 volunteers from Discover's marketing department helping students and staff prepare for the first day of school. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com

Some 300 volunteers spent much of Thursday sprucing up LEARN 9 Charter School in Waukegan ahead of the Aug. 7 start of classes.

The volunteers from Discover's marketing department built planter boxes, cubby shelves, cleaned up playgrounds, packed meals and much more in their effort to help out.

"The V in Discover stands for volunteerism. One of the things we enjoy most is giving back to the community and making a difference," said Matt Towson, director of community affairs at Discover.

The LEARN Charter School Network consists of 10 tuition-free elementary schools in Chicago, Waukegan, and North Chicago.

"These projects really help to beautify our campus and create a warm welcome for our scholars when they come back to school on Monday," said Sonia Jones, development officer at Learn 9 Charter School in Waukegan.

To find out more about the Learn network of schools, visit http://www.learncharter.org

Brittany Skala of Glenview puts together cubby benches Thursday at LEARN9 Charter School in Waukegan. She was one of 300 volunteers from Discover's marketing department helping students and staff prepare for the first day of school on Aug. 7. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com

Andrea Johnson spreads rubber mulch on the playground as part of Thursday's volunteer effort by Discover's marketing department at LEARN 9 Charter School in Waukegan. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com

Volunteers from Discover's marketing department pack meals for underprivileged kids at LEARN 9 Charter School in Waukegan Thursday. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com