Harriet Tubman Elementary School, originally uploaded by Mr. T in DC.

The last thing I wanted to do yesterday morning was get up early and head into the city. I’m just getting over a cold, and could’ve really used the rest. But instead I found myself at Harriet Tubman Elementary in Columbia Heights, a D.C. neighborhood that’s undergone a radical transformation in recent years.

Harriet Tubman Elementary was chosen by my wife’s company as a community service project with the City Year volunteer program. We were tasked with cleaning up the school’s courtyard — a big project that seemed impossible given the three-hour window we had to get the job done. I spent the morning repairing a brick patio while others painted, weeded and did various tasks inside the school.

On our way home, a few thoughts occurred to me about the project. First of all, it was really great to volunteer, even if it was just three hours. As we were leaving, a group of students saw the new and improved courtyard — the purple-painted concrete wall, a patio without weeds and a new garden. Seeing their excitement made the whole experience worthwhile.

Then I wondered why it took a group of people with no ties to the school to do a job that parents and others living in Columbia Heights should have done long ago. The fact that the school had been neglected was just sad — the students deserve better. My lone regret was that parents and students weren’t involved in the work. Without taking ownership over their community’s school, I wonder if today’s improvements will last.

It gave me a real appreciation for my own school and the support I received throughout my years at New York Mills.