It’s often suggested the spirit of volunteerism among youth has grown thin over the years in many communities.

Catasauqua is working to change this trend.

Catasauqua Main Streets, the borough’s business organization; the Catasauqua branch of the Whitehall Area Rotary Club; and Catasauqua High School teamed up to have high school students learn about the Catasauqua Community Food Bank and complete an art project at the 527 Front St. building.

Recently, talented local artist David Berkner painted a beautiful mural on an outside wall of the food bank. High school students Angele Diamacoune, Hannah Kurczeski and Haylie Toth were tasked with painting the steps entering the food bank in a similar style to Berkner’s mural and to place planters and flowers to make the exterior of the food bank more inviting for visitors.

The students painted the steps in bright colors depicting flowers and bees.

Flower planters are the next step in the beautification project.

The immediate goals were to provide the students a project to improve an organization, experience the idea, plan and implement the project and enjoy a sense of accomplishment.

Kim Brubaker, of Catasauqua Main Streets; Diane Davidson, of the Rotary Club; and Ashley Schmidt, from CHS, were the organizers behind the project.

Schmidt is involved with CHS’ Interact Club and the Rotary’s Camp Neidig. Camp Neidig is a program sponsored by Rotary Clubs. Its purpose is to provide exceptional young men and women with the opportunity to develop leadership skills, participate in community activities and more.

The hope is to have teenagers connected to volunteer organizations via hands-on projects, to learn about nonprofit organizations and to plant the seeds of volunteerism in today’s youth so they become tomorrow’s volunteers and leaders.