The senior class Community Service Project was to help clean up a local watershed in support of the National Volunteer Month and the local Renew Our Rivers Event. After a meeting about the project, the class was split into four groups and set out to pick up trash in Silver Creek and along the Kingfisher Trail.

Senior Julia Holmes and David Hagler took the lead with the river clean up idea and setting up the project ever since the senior retreat in October 2017.

“Julia had a previous connection with the CRBI (Coosa River Basin Initiative) and suggested early on that this would make a great service project,” said Hagler, “To avoid delay, a group of us quickly decided that this would be a great contribution to the community and made arrangements to set the date. Julia was the leader of the group and communicated with city leaders to make arrangements.”

On the morning of the project, since it was their first time being involved in the process, the class struggled to get used to their work. However, everyone eventually set off for their jobs and worked productively.

“At the beginning, it was a little chaotic; however, when everyone got going with their trash bags and different jobs, the project became fun and many enjoyed the work they were doing,” said Holmes

Despite many challenges from the work of the project, many seniors felt appreciative of the experience.

“I actually feel very gratified and accomplished after picking up bottles, shopping carts, suitcases, and wrappers from the creek and the neighborhoods down Cave Spring Road,” senior Stacy Chen said, “It was cold and dirty and exhausting work, but I’m very proud of my class for pulling through and bonding over picking up trash.”

After a productive morning, the senior class removed great amount of trash from the watershed to keep it away from Silver Creek and the Etowah River.

“We gathered over 1.58 tons of trash, which is 3,160lbs. Many were not prepared for the work that was done, but in the end most had enjoyed the time they spent with their peers cleaning the environment around us,” Holmes said.