Braving the cold air that chilled the city one morning last week, 200 students from YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School beautified two neighborhoods in North Philadelphia for the 16th National Make a Difference Day.

Students bundled in hoodies, hats, scarves and gloves raked leaves and planted in the neighborhood garden at Nicetown Park under the Route 1 overpass on Germantown Avenue on Oct. 27. Further down Germantown Avenue, at St. Paul Street, a group picked up trash and cleaned graffiti at the playground, and behind Edward Steel Elementary School others painted a mural to be installed at the school.

About 10 minutes away, another cohort of students erected fences around unused lots between 22nd and 24th streets and Lehigh and Indiana avenues.

What makes the day of service important is that it builds on the work students have done since September, rehabilitating homes in the Nicetown section of the city, said YouthBuild spokeswoman Amy Kapp.

“Since we’re rehabbing homes in Nicetown, I think it’s really important because they’re affecting entire neighborhoods when they do this work,” Kapp said.

A major component of the education at YouthBuild, which every year accepts 200 students who previously dropped out, is completing community service. Friday’s cleanup was the class’s first major service day.

“We really do work a lot with the community. I like it. It’s real fun; it’s amazing,” Tamika Canady, 19, said of the work.

“It’s fun working with the community, helping the kids with their schools and playgrounds, making sure our neighborhoods are safe and clean. It’s fun,” said Danielle Mobley, 18.

Working in the community broadens students’ perspectives, said Program Director Brian Leffler.

“It changes the negative perception of our students, and they can be a positive contributor” to the community, Leffler said.

YouthBuild partnered with Allegheny West Foundation, which supplied the fences for the vacant lot project, and with Nicetown Community Development Corporation for the cleanup in Nicetown Park.

Kerry Wilson, program and project manager at Nicetown CDC, said the students brought resources that allowed them to get things done they couldn’t do alone.

“It’s all about partnering with other people to get things done,” Wilson said. “Today’s project is a plus, because we couldn’t have done all this by ourselves.”

Philadelphia Recreation Department supplied trash pickup materials and bottled water, and Philadelphia Green provided graffiti removal solution, grass seed, plant materials and other tools.

Three million people participated in last year’s Make a Difference Day, the largest national community service project held on the fourth Saturday of October. YouthBuild students participated Friday.

Last year, YouthBuild students painted the playground at Nicetown Park.

“It’s nice to come back and continue the work we did last year,” Kapp said.