Instead of complaining about shabbiness at your local public school, see how volunteers have pitched in at this outer East Portland high school – and how you, too, can help on August 25th…
They’re never too young to help: Claudia and Jonathan, Samantha and Blue McAbee, helping clean up the Marshall Campus.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Although school isn’t in session, more than a dozen volunteers spend a summery July Saturday morning sprucing up the Marshall Campus in Lents.
“We’ve heard that many people have a negative impression of Marshall Campus,” says Aaron Betcher, a AmeriCorps community resource developer at the school, as he trims branches by the front door.
Trimming bushes are AmeriCorps workers Aaron Betcher, Rebecca Leimert, Lauren Audick.
“Some people even say Marshall seems like a scary place,” continues Betcher. “It’s a bad rap. We’re holding community events, like our clean-up day today, to show a more realistic image of the school.”
The AmeriCorps worker says this is the first year they’ve been helping at Marshall Campus. “Part of what we’re doing is increasing parent and community engagement with the school.”
Tiffany Pham helps Tammy Pham and Terri Pham sign up for service at Marshall Campus.
Volunteers from SOLV and Hands-On Portland – some from as far as Hillsboro – work at clipping, raking, painting and beautifying the campus.
The 12-member Portland AmeriCorps team, serving schools at SUN sites across Portland, helped plan the event, Betcher says.
Amanda Keppeler and Lawrence Palmer clean the entry of the campus.
Your turn to help …
On August 25th, Portland Public Schools and SOLV are enlisting volunteers to do grounds work at schools across the city, as part of Community Care Day – from 9 a.m. to noon.
To register and for information on specific sites, go to the Web site www.pps.k12.or.us/depts/communications/news/ and click on “Community Care Day 2007”, or call Monica Kearsley of SOLV at 503-844-9571.
© 2007 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service
click here to subscribe
