Covered in dirt and equipped with shovels, rakes, and gloves, students volunteered around the school for Campus Beautification Day Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Beginning last year, Campus Beautification Day is the Miramonte’s designated clean-up and gardening day. The clean-up served as a lead-in to the Environmental Spirit Week and Earth Day (Apr. 22) activities.

Leadership’s Environmental Commission and Parents Club organized the day, planning out student activities. Junior Ava Dhaliwal is the head of the Environmental Commission.  “Some work the students did is plant trees, re-do the planter boxes in front of admin/counseling, pick up trash, remove dead plants, and mulch the area between the classrooms,” Dhaliwal said. 

As a key element of the clean-up day, students planted a variety of trees, succulents, and mulch in an effort to revamp the campus appearance. In doing so, students across grades bonded with each other, all while receiving guaranteed volunteer hours. “I planted trees by the crafts room. My favorite part was bonding with other students over our shared enjoyment of helping our campus and school,” sophomore Carson Blair said. 

This year, the clean-up efforts by parents, students, and staff jump-started the week of raising awareness of environmental issues and celebrating conservation efforts in the community.

Campus Beautification Day not only motivated students to take action in making a small yet positive impact on their community and environment but it also knitted the Matador community closer together. “I enjoy working together with my classmates and friends to beautify our campus,” junior and Leadership Spirit Commission head Eva Crinks said. “Keeping our campus clean creates a better, healthier environment for everyone at school.”