Inspired by one man’s life of service, more than 500 GW students, faculty and staff plan to participate in this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service next week.

Volunteer numbers match those from last year, when 500 participants completed service projects at Roosevelt Senior High School. This year, volunteers will be spread out across more locations.

Participants will volunteer at five public schools in Ward 8 in Southeast D.C. Jan. 17, including Ballou Senior High School, Ballou STAY High School, Wilkinson Elementary, M.C. Terrell Elementary and Stanton Elementary.

Shannon Donahue, the coordinator for the MLK Day of Service, said this year’s effort to engage more schools in the service project “will broaden the scope of our impact on the Ward 8 community.”

Each volunteer will serve a minimum of three hours working on school beautification projects, like painting murals, painting word art, organizing libraries, cleaning classrooms and decorating bulletin boards.

“Volunteer services are always needed and welcomed for great causes,” said Clementine Homesley, the interim principal at M.C. Terrell Elementary. “We are looking forward to GW volunteers being pleased to do the projects at Terrell. We anticipate great teamwork for the best results.”

The Montgomery County Volunteer Center, City Year, the American Diabetes Association, the Northern Virginia Community College, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America and Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment are all also hosting volunteer events.

Simon Elementary also originally extended an invitation to GW volunteers to serve, but later rescinded its offer. Simon Elementary principal Adelaide Flamer declined to comment on why the invitation was rescinded.

OCS did not return a request for comment.