HELP AT THE FORT — Steubenville Mayor Jerry Barilla recognized Steubenville High School students for giving their time to help prepare for 2025 Christmas at the Fort festivities. About a dozen sophomores and juniors spent three days assisting with decorations and other preparations at Historic Fort Steuben and received Civic Pride Award commemoration coins for their services. Among those participating were, from left, front, SHS Principal Aaron Newman, Izadora Yendo, Nate Chipps, Tommy Stanchfield, Gianna Berkey, Jaclynn Stewart, Payton Koniski and Mayor Jerry Barilla. Back: Braiden Edwards, Daniel Moss, Owen Greiner and Dugan Mills. Ian Adams also helped. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Steubenville High School students have donated their time to help the city usher in the holiday season at Historic Fort Steuben and Mayor Jerry Barilla recognized them for their efforts.

About a dozen high schoolers spent a total of three days working at the fort, where they helped decorate and prepare the site for this year’s Steubenville Lights up the Night and Christmas at the Fort festivities. The youth joined Barilla Wednesday at the municipal building, where they toured his office and received Civic Pride Award coins to commemorate the occasion. The coins feature the words “Steubenville, Ohio: Gateway to the West, Established 1797” on one side and “Civic Pride Award” with Barilla’s name on the other.

“What you have done for the community is wonderful,” he told them. “(This) is an award for community pride. I appreciate all that you do. I wanted to present the coins to you because it comes from the mayor.”

Barilla later said that the students were extremely helpful and engaged while they were onsite.

“This is an example of civic pride. They are giving back to the community to make it a better place and make a positive impact.”

SHS Principal Aaron Newman said two groups of six students — all of whom are sophomores and juniors — were transported to the property in the morning and after lunch. The volunteers included Gianna Berkey, Izadora Yendo, Tommy Stanchfield, Daniel Moss, Nate Chipps, Ian Adams, Jaclynn Stewart, Braiden Edwards, Owen Greiner, Payton Koniski and Dugan Mills.

“We strategically assigned the kids to miss the least number of core classes,” Newman said. “I am certain they’d like to have them down again at the fort, and the kids are eager to come back.”

The students said they enjoyed the opportunity and it gave them a sense of community pride.

“It’s a great experience helping out the community,” said Moss.

“I think it was a great experience,” added Stanchfield. “They were very kind and I enjoy helping the community.”

“As a foreign exchange student, it is a great opportunity to be part of the community and to maintain traditions,” said Yendo, who hails from Brazil. “It is a cool experience.”

SHS has collaborated during Big Red Night last year, where the choir appeared and school merchandise was sold, and another date has been scheduled for Dec. 8 with students also expected to sell wares during the weekends. The fashion class will provide items from the Big Red Store and art students will also exhibit their original creations, but more plans are in the works with the carpentry class building several chalets to conduct vendor sales, the computer science class programming musical Christmas tree light shows, and the aviation and agriculture pathways organizing a homemade Christmas bulb sale with Wells Academy students.

Barilla also recognized employees from M&M Hardware who helped string lights on the property and said the Eastern Ohio Correctional Center provided assistance to put up the large trees, plus St. Joseph the Worker College was creating nativity scenes for display. He hoped to spur more involvement from local schools and said it was a real community effort for the Christmas season. He noted that the light up night has attracted an estimated 5,000 spectators while 30,000 to 40,000 people attend for the duration of Christmas at the Fort.

“It brings us all together as one to celebrate Christmas,” he commented. “This is what we call the ‘Christmas spirit.'”

Steubenville Lights up the Night is set for Nov. 28 and will feature singing groups, a blessing of the tree, the Franciscan University Barons Basketball team, the Brenda Casey Dancers at the amphitheater and the lighting between 6:15 p.m. and -6:30 p.m., while fireworks will round out the evening. Christmas at the Fort will feature a holiday market, live entertainment, the famous Nutcracker Village display and more and runs through Dec. 28.