Courtesy Photo A group of Youth Volunteer Corps members deliver teacher appreciation packages to the staff at Besser Elementary in January.

ALPENA — A group of about 50 caring young people recently presented the staff of Alpena Public Schools with teacher appreciation packages.

Catherine Knoch, director of operations at the Boys and Girls Club of Alpena, oversees the Youth Volunteer Corps program.

“For Martin Luther King Jr. Day act of service, our Youth Volunteer Corps came up with the idea to create an appreciation package for all of the staff at our school district in Alpena,” Knoch said.

The gift packages included handmade cards and bookmarks, and other heartfelt items.

“They wanted to promote positivity and that they see that they are working really hard to educate our community,” Knoch said.

She said 472 employees received the appreciation packages.

“This is a new initiative this year,” Knoch added. “We know how the pandemic really affected all of the employers, and that includes the school district, so, with being short-staffed, they are still making sure that the kids are educated and having a good day and are staying safe, and that’s really important. So we just wanted to show them extra appreciation this year.”