EASTHAMPTON — In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Williston Northampton School and some of its students are pitching in to help the larger community.
“Being a good neighbor is very important to the school,” said Kate Lawless, a spokeswoman for Williston.
The school has donated medical gloves, masks, patient gowns, paper towels, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes to the Easthampton Fire Department. It has also lent an electrostatic sanitizing gun to the department, which allows hand sanitizer to be sprayed quickly.
“The Easthampton Fire Department greatly appreciates the donation from Williston Northampton School of personal protective equipment to assist our emergency responders in staying safe in the performance of their duties during these unprecedented times,” Deputy Chief Wayne Hennemann said in a release provided by the school.
The school has also lent its van to the Easthampton Community Center to aid the center in picking up supplies and delivering food to people sheltering in place.
The school has also donated cloth masks from Mantis Graphics to the city’s fire department, police department and health department.
Some Williston students have also been inspired by the pandemic to try to help their community.
Nikhil Sierros, 17, a junior at the school who lives in Florence, has launched a website where students can sign up for free math tutoring via Zoom during the pandemic.
“I love math,” he said. “I’ve just always had a passion for it.”
Sierros said he understands the disconnect between learning in the classroom and learning at home, and wants to help bridge the gap. “I really just want to share the skills I’ve learned from these amazing teachers,” he said.
Sierros has reached out to several area superintendents about the service he is offering. However, so far no students have signed up for it.
Rachel Goodman, 18, a senior at the school, was inspired by the efforts of her mother, Jenna Goodman, and a neighbor, who created Burgers and Beyond for Baystate. That fundraising effort has taken donations and transformed them into food from restaurants in the Longmeadow area, where Goodman lives, and provided it to workers at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
Goodman, a member of the school’s Community Service Club, decided she wanted to do a similar fundraiser at Williston using Easthampton restaurants.
Working with her mom and the club, Goodman has raised approximately $500 out of a $1,000 goal.
“A lot of people have been emailing me and reaching out saying thank you,” Goodman said.
Goodman said they’re still working out which restaurants they will be working with, as well as which medical facilities will get the food.
Those who wish to donate can do so on Venmo by sending money to willistonburgers.
Garrette Ondrick, 15, of Westfield, has been making face shields for those combating the coronavirus using his 3D printer.
“I think I’ve made about 46 face shields,” Ondrick said.
Ondrick uses the printer to make the headbands for the shields, after which he attaches a piece of laminated plastic to each of them.
Ondrick began making shields as part of an effort organized by Westfield resident Josh Roy, who has been getting those with 3D printers in the area to make face shields for local hospitals.
“It just kind of felt like the right thing to do,” Ondrick said.
He said that Roy has picked up shields he’s made to distribute them, and Ondrick has also provided shields to a friend of his mother’s who works with COVID-19 patients.
Ondrick said that each shield headband takes about 1/50th of a 2.2-pound 3D printing spool of plastic to make, and that each spool costs about $20.
Lawless said the students have engaged in these charitable works on their own initiative.
“Our mission is to inspire students to live with purpose, passion and integrity,” Lawless said, quoting the school’s motto.