Hundreds of volunteers join Boston Cares form MLK Jr. Day of Service

BOSTON — They are resources that are often just out-of-reach, teaching tools to help elementary school students learn and understand math and science.

But on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 750 volunteers turned out to change that.

They assembled kits that will be distributed to Boston Public Schools, and used in the classroom to create hands-on learning opportunities.

"We call it a day on, not a day off,” Patrick Keegan from Boston Cares said.

With schools and many businesses closed, community groups use the mid-January holiday as a day of service.

"I want to come here to give back to my community,” Marie, a 13-year-old volunteer, said.

Keegan says tools like these can be pricey, and unattainable for students and teachers.  So Boston Cares is mobilizing volunteers, including some from FOX25, to make them.

"We've got circuit boards, we've got math games, we've got flashcards, we've got little robotic creatures,” Keegan said.

Curtis Guild Elementary School Principal Karen McCarthy said students will reap the benefits of the volunteers’ efforts.

“Kids will have more opportunities to use science and math as ways to understand and engage with the world, and better the world, really,” she said.

Even the younger volunteers said they’re getting a lot out of the service.

"It makes me happy to give someone in need something that will make them happy and make me feel good inside,” Marie said.

Cox Media Group