Dozens of headstones at the Green-Wood Cemetery that date back more than 100 years have been restored after they were sunken into the ground for decades.

High school students from Williamsburg have been working over the summer to preserve the historic monuments.

The effort is part of an internship program at the cemetery. 

Staff says the headstones had sunk 2 to 3 feet underground, which happened over time because of the age of the graves.

Over the course of the program, students not only found and recovered the headstones but also researched the children buried and learned about the illnesses that took the lives of the children and babies.

Students ended the day by laying flowers at the newly restored gravesites to honor those buried. 

“It’s important that they see that there’s great work to be done outside. There are different types of careers out there. I think getting a little bit of research in there, a little bit of outdoor work and physical work when maybe you’re used to working inside or coming off of last year, is really important,” said Neela Wickremesinghe. 

Staffers say they’ve completed their goal of finishing the entire lot this summer and plan to continue the restoration efforts with other students in the future.