ECHS student body focusing on positives
Published 5:30 pm Wednesday, March 4, 2009
By By Tray Smith
On Friday morning, I stood with my fellow Student Government Association (SGA) officers behind new trash barrels, purchased by a grant received from the Learn and Serve program. The bins will be used to collect aluminum cans discarded on campus, which students will then take to be recycled. The program is a win-win: it will raise money for SGA projects and it will conserve our precious national resources.
This effort is one of many Escambia County High School (ECHS) initiatives that was planned by students, is led by students and will be implemented by students. While occasional challenges, like the current controversy surrounding cell phones, detract from the image of our student body, no academic rating or violent minority can disguise the energy, leadership and commitment my peers at ECHS have demonstrated over this past year, as they have adapted their own youthful concepts and ideas to the school improvement process.
With regard to recycling, the SGA will continue to expand the reach of the program until every piece of paper, plastic and aluminum used on campus is saved and reused. The SGA will also spearhead efforts to reduce the amount of waste being generated by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by modern technology and making our campus more eco-friendly.
We will also strengthen the bonds between the school and the community. On March 24, we will host a Business after Hours in the Library Media Center. At the event, Chamber members will be welcomed to see the new, clean ECHS.
Our building construction group has agreed to assist in the restoration of the old Boy Scout hut. Participants will have the opportunity to learn the skills of their trade while reviving a historical icon for this community. The children of Atmore will benefit because they will have a vibrant center for scouting.
Next week, students will also plant 200 trees as part of a campus beautification project. While we appreciate the work the Board of Education has done improving the interior of campus; the outside could use some sprucing up as well. By incorporating students in the process, ECHS is ensuring that they appreciate the hard work that goes into supporting its grounds.
This year has seen other great moments at ECHS as well. The re-launch of the EsCoHi, which published its first issue in two years last December, was as significant for the options it offers students as it was for the tradition that it preserves. The Scholars Bowl team has begun participating in competitions with other schools. Athletic teams have played well, despite the obstacle of having to adjust to a 5A schedule. A new club has formed on campus: Future Educators of America. Other old clubs, like the National Honor Society, continue to reward excellence, demand character and produce leaders.
More exciting developments will occur before graduation, as we have planned a Change Wars, a dance and the prom, the Miss ECHS pageant and other events designed to engage students’ interest. For the first time in recent memory, students will also be involved in planning the strategic direction of the school and developing programs to guarantee a higher quality of education. I will graduate in May and will not benefit when these many visions are realized, but the students who come after me will.
That is the bottom line.
Tray Smith is a former page in the U.S. House of Representatives. He can be reached at tsmith_90@hotmail.com. His column appears weekly.