Reading and math were replaced with compassion and community spirit Thursday.

Students from Kalamalka and Vernon secondary schools converged on Kalamalka Road in Coldstream to fill and stack sandbags for residents coping with rising water levels.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 great to be helping out,含羞草研究社� said Levi Knopf, who is in Grade 9 at VSS.

Knopf was kayaking on the weekend and experienced first-hand the damage caused by flooding.

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The students were just the latest round of volunteers to assist.

含羞草研究社淧eople are just stopping and setting up bags. It含羞草研究社檚 fantastic,含羞草研究社� said Norm Hladan, who is trying to keep the Kalavista lagoon from engulfing his property. Much of the water is coming from the adjacent park owned by the District of Coldstream.

含羞草研究社淎 good neighbour would bag (their property),含羞草研究社� he said.

Elsewhere in the North Okanagan, other communities continue to cope with flooding. A specific concern in Vernon, is Okanagan Lake.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e encouraging residents to sandbag because the water is rising,含羞草研究社� said Tanya Laing Gahr, Vernon含羞草研究社檚 communications officer.

Residents along Vernon Creek should be also taking precautions to protect their property.

Okanagan Lake was at the 342.98-metre mark Thursday, up three cms from Wednesday - and just two cms below the 343-metre projection.