Student Alex Merriweather assists a local resident during craft time. Rachel Altmaier/special to the Town Crier

The Pinewood School upper campus closed for a day last week to participate in an all-student community service day. Students and faculty spent the day volunteering for various charities, food banks and non-profit organizations. Each grade was shuttled to a different location in the Bay Area.

The seventh grade worked on Elkus Ranch in Half Moon Bay, a non-profit educational organization. The eighth grade engaged in beach restoration work at Francis Beach through the Half Moon Bay Beach Restoration Project.

The ninth grade sorted and distributed food and clothes to needy families at the Sacred Heart Community Service center in San Jose. The 10th grade participated in activities at Palo Alto Child Care Center and at assisted living locations - Lytton Gardens in Palo Alto and the Sequoias in Portola Valley.

The 11th grade harvested fruit from orchards at the Village Harvest in San Jose and delivered the packages to local food banks and shelters. One section of the student-volunteers harvested more than 5,000 pounds of oranges.

The 12th grade split into two groups. One group went to Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco to assemble hygiene kits and prepare and serve food to the homeless. The second went to the San Francisco Food Bank and sorted and packed food for distribution to those in need.