RACINE, Wis. — Logan Mendoza, 17, is ending the summer on a high note by helping restore and refresh a neighborhood in Racine. 

“One of my biggest morals is working hard and being a really hard worker,” Mendoza said. “Every time I get out here, I just give it my all the entire time.”

It’s part of the second annual Rock the Block initiative. It’s a youth-led, volunteer-based event.

The initiative’s goal is to freshen up houses and businesses by power washing, painting, making small repairs and picking up trash.

“It’s really nice and satisfying to be able to see the before and after [of] a lot of things,” Mendoza said. “We got the wood looking real nice. It helps the neighbors here as well, being able to live in a nice neighborhood.” 

Kelly Fragassi is the executive director of the Volunteer Center of Racine County and said it’s inspiring to see students volunteering their time to help better the community. 

Fragassi said around 65 students will participate in Rock the Block this week. 

“They realize that this neighborhood — once it starts to look a bit different — they realize the impact they’re having on their own community,” Fragassi said. 

While the goal is to beautify the community, it’s also to learn about yourself. 

“I think the biggest importance is perspective, because a lot of people aren’t going to have the same perspective as others,” Mendoza said. “When you put yourself in shoes of others, you can appreciate what you have more and it can bring you to be more inclined to help others in the end.”

The goal is to complete 20 houses and a couple of businesses by the end of the week. Both Mendoza and Fragassi are looking forward to seeing what they can accomplish together.