Hundreds to head 'Into the Streets'

Most first-year students spent the past week acclimating themselves to campus. But this Saturday about 1,150 freshmen are expected to venture "into the streets" around the University as well. The students will be participating in the third-annual Penn Into the Streets project, which introduces new students to organizations that work to improve the community. Each participant will spend the day working at one of 36 sites on activities such as renovating buildings, painting over graffiti or cleaning area streets. Residents of Spruce Street House, for example, will work with the Anti-Graffiti Network to paint a mural to cover graffiti near campus. And the Quad's Community House residents will join members of the Philadelphia Police Department's 18th District police mini-station at 55th and Pine streets to help convert a crack-house into a safe-house. Todd Ellinwood, a College and Wharton Senior who is a coordinator of Into the Streets, said all houses in the Quad, Kings Court/English House and Hill and Van Pelt Houses will be involved. Krista Springer, a recent graduate of the College who is also coordinating the event, said they specifically selected sites where students could interact with community residents. "Interaction with community members is key," Springer said. "They are not going in to change a community. They are going to help them with a project they [the community members] are already engaged in." Springer said sites also were chosen on the basis of their ability to accommodate volunteers in the future. All the organizations, Springer said, have said they would be interested in continuing this project "past day one." Saturday's program not only allows students the chance to volunteer, but also affords them the opportunity to discuss ways they can become more involved in their community in the future, organizers said. Students will take part in the community service portion from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Then, they will discuss their experiences and make future community service plans. Directors of Into the Streets have targeted the program as a way to forge a deep connection with members of the University's surrounding community. "We want to make sure that students understand that they are not only students, but are residents of West Philadelphia," said Springer.