Tri-County Gives Back

            Amid the crazy dress up days and events of Homecoming week, the students of Tri-County Community School District took time on Wednesday, Sept. 27 to give back to the communities of Thornburg, Keswick and What Cheer during their first-ever Tri-County Gives Back Day.

            Every present student from kindergarten to high school seniors pitched in with projects ranging from pulling weeds on the school grounds to revamping lawns near city government buildings. Students were broken up into groups as the older kids were sent off to Keswick and What Cheer while younger students stayed in Thornburg to work on the school and the small town surrounding them.

“I thought this was a good idea and something that I was a part of as a teacher while at Pekin,” Principal Clay Harrold said. “Andy Thomas also experienced this while teaching at Montezuma, and the idea just made good sense. I brought this up to the PBIS team back in May and discussed how I wanted it to be a reality. When the PBIS team looked at a potential date back in August, we did discuss it happening during Homecoming week due to the fact that this week is already a little rowdier than usual.”

            In Keswick, fourth and sixth graders were bused to the ball park to pick up leaves, branches, garbage and pull unwanted weeds that had begun to grow tall in several areas. Meanwhile, the eighth, tenth and twelfth graders went to work on Iron Street and were further split into multiple jobs. Some swept the floors of the Keswick Fire Station, others repainted the yellow curb markers, and the main group tackled gardening next to City Hall by pulling out and replanting hostas.

            “They have all taken criticism very well and are willing to make changes to improve their work,” Karen Sieren, the Mayor of Keswick said.” Some of these projects we would have been unable to do ourselves because they take time. Having so many hands with a positive attitude come really means a lot.”

Please view the October 4 edition of The News-Review for the full story.