BK schools get makeovers for New York Cares Day

Forty-six Brooklyn schools were spruced up Saturday as part of the 16th Annual New York Cares Day, the largest day of volunteering in New York City.
Automotive High School in Greenpoint got a new mural in its cafeteria as well as fresh paint in several classrooms and on the school?s fence. The school?s principal and students say seeing volunteers hard at work on their school makes them feel valued.
Principal Melissa Silberman says the school has applied for a New York Cares makeover for the past five years and is finally getting its wish.
The volunteers say they do it to give back and have fun. Participants raised money in honor of the time they spend volunteering. The money covered the supplies they used to brighten up the schools and funds future New York Cares programs.
?They come here today and the fence will be scraped and repainted and there will be beautiful murals in this school that will change the way children and parents and teachers look at their school Monday morning,? Gary Bagley of New York Cares said.
125 schools across New York City got New York Cares makeovers. They were selected from hundreds of applicants based on their needs.