Groups Unite For School Cleanup
By Kevin Gray
Elementary, middle school and high school students, as well as their parents and teachers, hoisted and spread landscaping mulch, swept the playgrounds, painted the colorful four-squares and washed windows at both Trojan Elementary and Swenson Early Childhood Education Center last Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
In the first Back to School Clean Up Night on Tuesday, Trojan saw a turnout of about 55 participants, said Joe Lilley, one of the organizers of the event. “The turn out on Wednesday at Swenson was almost as good at 52,” Lilley said.
Stacey Macom, a parent, was impressed with the community reaction for both evenings. “A good community always pulls together regardless of the times,” Macom said.
Ivy Cole from Partners in Education (PIE) had spoken with Swenson principal, Andrea Manes, Lilley said, when school was getting out back in May. “Andrea mentioned how she was going to have to do some extra stuff because of budget cutbacks.
“Not as many summer workers were hired, so there were fewer people to do the same amount of work,” Lilley said.
At a youth ministry team meeting at the First Presbyterian Church on July 25, Lilley mentioned that he would like to do something to get their youth group members together before school started. “Ivy brought up the idea of us helping the schools. We all agreed it was a good idea, and Ivy called Superintendent Gary French and got the okay”.
“It took off from there. Ivy was able to get Calling All Girls and Sub-Debs involved, and she was the force that got the parents to show up. Youth group had 12-15 representatives each night, and I was very proud of them and the work they did,” Lilley said.
PIE, the Presbyterian youth group and several student organizations, Manes said, participated in the clean-up night. “This night was arranged for the community and parents to help spruce up the school for the start of the year.
“Our goals were to make sure the yard around the building is clean, the blacktop is swept and the playground games are freshly painted, and that the playground itself is clean and safe for the start of the school year,” Manes said. The wooden playground equipment also received a fresh coat of stain.
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Posted by admin
on Aug 17 2011. Filed under News and Updates.
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