More than 375 sixth-grade students from Darnell-Cookman Middle School cleaned up Tillie Fowler Regional Park on Wednesday, April 30, as part of the community service component of the school’s Making the Move: Transitions to Middle School Grant, awarded by the Community Foundation.
When the students arrived at the park, a City of Jacksonville Park Ranger explained how to properly and safely clean up the park. Students also received equipment, such as garbage bags, gloves, shears, buckets, sponges and soap.
Groups of students, along with their teachers and parent volunteers, then followed the bike and walking trails to pick up trash, pull weeds and remove any low-hanging branches. Other groups scrubbed playground equipment and picnic tables.
After the students finished their cleaning duties, they had lunch and participated in team building activities.
The Making the Move: Transitions to Middle School Grant supports a program for sixth-grade students using the concepts from Sean Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. Cleaning up the park was a way for the students to implement what they have learned from the seven habits, and taught them the importance of giving back to the Jacksonville community.
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