Providence, RI – Over one hundred and fifty students in Providence College’s class of 2007 will spend their first days in Providence participating in the college’s 13^th annual Urban Action program. The freshmen and 25 upperclassmen leaders will volunteer over 3,000 hours of work at the new headquarters for City Arts! at 891 Broad Street in Providence. The students will work on Thursday, August 28 and Friday, August 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Saturday, August 30, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

City Arts! offers free after-school and summer programs in the visual and performing arts for Providence youth ages 8-14. Classes, taught by professional artists and educators, include music, theatre, drawing and painting, poetry and creative writing, ceramics and dance.

The Providence College students will complete interior and exterior work in the two-story building that was formerly a warehouse. They will clean and paint the gallery and administrative offices; repair and replace windows; and clear trash, weed, and clean up graffiti. In the evenings, students will spend time reflecting on the meaning of their service and participate in “getting-to-know you” activities.

The Urban Action program was initiated by Providence College students in 1991 with 17 students volunteering the first year. Since then, more than 1,650 freshmen have participated, with many returning each year as leaders. The goal of the program is to provide incoming students with an opportunity to make a positive difference in the community that will be their “home away from home” for the next four years. In 2002, the program was recognized with a 2002 Silver Seal of Excellence from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, as an exemplary program of student involvement.

Past projects have included clearing fields, pastures and outbuildings to create a community farm for Providence families; digging trenches for the city to lay electric lines for a midnight community sports league; and clearing and preparing a spot for Smith Hill Center’s outdoor performance center and park. Students also participate in similar neighborhood projects throughout the academic year.

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