Timberstone Junior High students spent a Saturday morning restoring headstones at historic Ravine Cemetery in Sylvania in preparation for Memorial Day. The event was organized by Stacey Leffler, Timberstone science teacher and Youth to Youth sponsor, in partnership with Margie Ott, Head of the Sylvania Parks and Forestry Division. Ravine Cemetery is the resting place of 2,117 individuals, including 199 veterans.

Students included Adelynn Lesher, Evie Skrzyniecki, Amelia Blackston, Matthew Stasinos, Caden Stroud, Oliver Henisse, Mallory and Laura Blair, Andrew Stroud, Tabby Wood, and Chris Kopaniasz. They removed dirt, lichen, biological growth, and weathering from grave markers using preservation techniques demonstrated by Ott. Many stones, once difficult to read, were transformed, revealing names and inscriptions that had been hidden for years. Students found the work rewarding, seeing the immediate results while helping to preserve local history.

Timberstone’s Youth to Youth organization strives to provide students with meaningful opportunities to positively impact the community. Events like this allow students to connect service, history, and civic responsibility in a hands-on and memorable way.