A sparkling new landscape can be spotted outside Liberty’s exterior – clean and well-manicured grounds. How did this come to be?
To make a lawn story short, DECA, National Honors Society, Key Club, and Green Team collaborated to host campus clean up on September 27 with a student turnout of 85.
As an annual event, the campus cleanup allows students to earn community service hours while helping rejuvenate the school campus for the upcoming school year.
This year, students worked to polish up the parking lot and surrounding premises, outside the main entrance, and areas surrounding the school building. By picking up trash and fixing the landscaping students beautified the campus.
However, for most, this experience was more than simply a checklist requirement.
“The success of this event truly reflects the collective effort of so many people coming together,” DECA’s Community Outreach Officer junior Julianne Lo said. “It was so inspiring to watch Liberty students and staff collaborating, taking initiative, and working diligently from start to finish.”
Students praised the community that was built during the hours spent together.
“There’s just a lot of togetherness,” sophomore DECA member Ananyaa Shah said.
Most felt a deeper sense of connection and grounding with a relatively simple task. Spending time outside has become less and less common throughout the school year, and this cleanup allowed students to work outside, allowing for a much needed break.
“Reconnecting with nature when the majority of the time you’re on a computer screen is really nice, and getting to do it with others, builds appreciation for the people in your community,” Shah said. “Fulfilling” was the term Shah used when asked to sum up her experience in a single word.
This undertaking was led by students and adults alike. Under their leadership,volunteers worked through various beautification processes such as planting, cleaning, weeding, and more around the campus.
“It taught people the value of working hard and that you have to give back to the community,” sophomore DECA member Tayla Chin said.
Largely due to students working together, this event allowed people to help their school and foster a sense of appreciation for the environment. The sentiment that doing good for the community was rewarding was widespread.
“Daily living places shouldn’t be reliant on only a few people to keep it nice and clean–that should be a whole-school activity,” sophomore Green Team member Remy Cowan said.
Needless to say, this event was a success. By collaborating and working towards a common goal, the Liberty campus looks clean and ready for a great school year.
“It was a genuine display of Patriot pride and a great example of how students have the ability to shape and strengthen their own community,” Lo said. “I truly believe Liberty students have the ability to make a real difference, and I’m excited to see what else we accomplish together this year.”