Spruce-up builds spirit
Published 9:43 pm Tuesday, May 28, 2013
![King’s Fork High School students and teachers Shawn Klepper, Teniya Benton, Treyvon Williams, Titus Barclift, Jay Miller, Toni Edwards (inclusion teacher), Randy Jessee (activities director), Morgan Hunt, Katelyn Hayden, Jiaya Pyron and Lindsay Ransome prepare to roll up their sleeves for a volunteer event this Saturday to spruce up the school.](https://www.suffolknewsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2013/05/IMG_1250.jpg)
King’s Fork High School students and teachers Shawn Klepper, Teniya Benton, Treyvon Williams, Titus Barclift, Jay Miller, Toni Edwards (inclusion teacher), Randy Jessee (activities director), Morgan Hunt, Katelyn Hayden, Jiaya Pyron and Lindsay Ransome prepare to roll up their sleeves for a volunteer event this Saturday to spruce up the school.
An event at King’s Fork High School this Saturday will help spruce up the school grounds ahead of the first outdoor graduation in years.
The effort by students, parents, teachers, and anyone else who wants to help will be part of the school’s annual Unify to Beautify event, said Randy Jessee, King’s Fork High activities director.
“In the past we have come in and planted flowers, touched up flowerbeds and picked up trash,” Jessee said.
“With graduation outside this year, there is a lot to do around the stadium to make it look as good as possible.”
The team effort to spruce up the campus will take place between 9 a.m. and about 1 p.m., when volunteers will head to the courtyard for the dedication of benches in memory of Amanda LeGrand, a student who died in February.
The dedication will include a cookout to reward volunteers for their efforts, Jesseee said.
“We’re putting two benches and a couple of flowerbeds out in the courtyard,” he said. “Students can go out at lunchtime and use the benches.”
The benches, arriving Thursday, will in be paid for in part with funds raised during a candlelight vigil held at the school for LeGrand following her death, with the rest coming from the school itself.
The day will also include a plant sale fundraiser, between 1 and 2 p.m., with proceeds benefiting the school’s athletics department and parent-teacher association.
Proceeds will also pay for the plants used for the beautification, Jessee said.
“It’s on a volunteer basis,” he said. “Some staff will volunteer, and some activities leaders will come with their kids. We always have parents and even just people from the community.”
Past events have included 45 to 50 students, about 10 faculty members, and six or eight other members of the community, he said.
“Each year has gotten a little bigger,” Jessee said, who said he hopes the weather will be fine for the fourth event.
“It’s good to see students, teachers and members of the community come together. I think it’s good any time you can foster school spirit.”
Some students are planning to volunteer at the event as part of their community service graduation requirements, he said.
Anyone interesting in helping is invited to show up on the day.