BOSTON (WHDH) - City Year Boston, a volunteer group that serves more than two dozen schools, took part in a day of service Monday to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

More than 200 volunteers filled the halls of Excel High School in South Boston to paint murals, office spaces, lounges and school logos in the cafeteria in an effort to encourage students to go to college.

“I wanted to give back so I came today to paint murals to give the students something to look forward to when they come to school every day,” volunteer Ariel Hurts said. “I didn’t have this when I went to school so I thought it would be pretty cool.”

Senior Manager of Volunteer Programs at City Year Bethany Reynolds says it’s about a lot more than just sprucing up the school. It’s also about preparing students for their next chapter.

“Outside of that, we’re doing a bunch of kit packings, making kits for students who are going to be doing standardized testing later in the year. Kits to encourage kids to finish graduation,” she explained.

During the school year, as many of 250 City Year Boston AmeriCorps members serve as tutors, mentors and role models to prepare students for the real world.

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