San Francisco Public Works’ Neighborhood Beautification Day volunteer program won’t be possible with the support of amazing student volunteers. To recognize student volunteers’ effort formally, the department started awarding certificates to top student volunteers — NBD All Stars —in October 2025. Bay Area students (ages 6-25) can earn a certificate for attending 6 or more NBD events in a calendar year. At the end of the year, NBD All Stars will receive a signed certificate, take a photo with Director Carla Short, and appear on the list below. Many thanks to these top student volunteers for giving back to their neighborhoods and helping keep San Francisco clean, green, and beautiful!
2025 NBD All Stars
Apple Banana, 16 years old, George Washington High School
Cranberry Sauce, 17 years old, Lowell High School
Watermelon Cherry Blueberry, 18 years old, Thurgood Marshall Academic High School
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I earn a certificate?
There are 2 requirements: you must be a Bay Area student (ages 6-25) and attend 6 or more NBD events in a calendar year. To sign up for NBD events, visit our NBD website.
I volunteered at 6 NBD events in 2025, but I didn’t receive a certificate.
To qualify, student volunteers must sign in twice at each NBD event. Sign your name on a Team registration form and then on a separate potential All Stars Tracker form and include the name of your school. If you did not write neatly on both forms or provide contact information, there is no way to contact you and formally award you a certificate. Please sign in twice at each NBD event and write neatly.
I volunteered at 6 NBD events but then I moved schools and left the Bay Area. What should I do?
Please email DPW-NBD@sfdpw.org and provide your full name, age, name of your former school, the dates of the NBD events that you attended, 2 photos/selfies of you at NBD events, and your new mailing address. Once we have reviewed registration forms and All Stars Trackers forms, we will mail a certificate to your new mailing address.
I work for a school/university and I’m trying to verify a student’s community service hours. Is this a “top student volunteers” list?
This is a top student volunteers list for San Francisco Public Works’ Neighborhood Beautification Days volunteer program. We have a few other volunteer programs, but the NBD All Stars list honors the top student volunteers for the NBD program only. 6 NBD events is the equivalent of 21 total hours of community service. In general, we encourage student volunteers to submit their volunteer verification forms in-person or online on the same day as the volunteer event.
I attended 2 NBD events in 2024 and 4 NBD events in 2025. Do I qualify for a certificate?
Unfortunately, you do not qualify for a certificate. All 6 NBD events must be in the same calendar year. For example, you would qualify for a 2025 NBD All Stars certificate if you volunteered on March 8, 2025, April 5, 2025, May 10, 2025, June 7, 2025, August 9, 2025, and September 6, 2025. The department developed this certificate idea in December 2024 and started tracking Potential NBD All Stars in January 2025.
How often do you update this NBD All Stars website?
Once a year in October/November. The names will be finalized by the second week of November.
I’m a parent. Do I need to attend NBD events with my child?
- Parent/guardian supervision is highly recommended for small children between ages 6-13. There are “child-friendly” teams/worksites at each NBD event that can accommodate toddlers and small children. We welcome volunteers of all ages and abilities.
- Teens can attend NBD events on their own and will be assigned to a “teens OK” team/worksite. In fact, most student volunteers are between the ages of 13-20.
- San Francisco Public Works staff will supervise worksites and provide guidance and tools to volunteers. If you feel unsure, we recommend attending the first NBD event with your child.
I understand each NBD event has unique projects and worksites. Can you provide a few examples of NBD projects? In other words, what kind of work would I do at NBD events?
- Gardening (weeding, mulching, pruning, bagging green waste, putting in new plants)
- Painting (painting over graffiti, painting school benches or retaining walls)
- Removing stickers and flyers from street poles
- Picking up litter
- Planting trees
- A combination of two or more tasks
- If you don’t feel comfortable with a specific task, please ask the Registration Staff to switch you to a different worksite by 9 AM.
I want to be assigned to the same worksite/team as my friends. Is that possible?
Yes. Only one person should sign up in this scenario. That person should sign up everyone as a “group” on the website. Type the total # of people in your group in the “Group size” field.
What should I wear/bring to NBD events?
- Dress in layers
- Wear closed toe shoes, clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, and sunscreen
- Bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated
- No need to bring lunch. Free lunch will be served to volunteers at the end.
