Dubuque Alternative Learning Center students do yard work for school credit

Some high school students are earning school credit for doing yard work.

Students at Dubuque's Alternative Learning Center spend the last two weeks of classes doing physical education activities. Teachers come up with activities to offer students during that time, and social studies teacher Tim Hitzler decided to offer yard work.

Since last week, students have been able to sign up to go with Hitzler to people's homes to do work. They've focused on helping seniors or those with disabilities.

The students have worked in gardens, cut down bamboo and worked on a chicken coop. Hitzler says it's been a rewarding experience all around.

"It's a rewarding feeling, you know we get to give back to the community but the kids feel a sense of accomplishment, too," he said. "People are very appreciative. Sometimes they cook us a meal. We had cheeseburgers the other day, ham sandwiches one day, today it was brats. So it's a win-win for everybody."

On Thursday, he had eleventh-grade students Eaeauna Fountain and Colin Hillard helping with a home in Kieler, Wisconsin. Fountain said she enjoyed the work.

"I'm getting out of my comfort zone. I like it," she said.

The students' last day of school is on Friday, June 7th.