A cleaning endeavor

On Monday, the Portales High School (PHS) band cleaned up the community to raise money for new equipment.

Jennifer Johnson, band director for the past eight years, directed the 20 students from colorguard, drumline and leadership in picking up trash in a three block radius around the courthouse.

The students filled 22 bags of trash overall. On Wednesday, they will come back and paint the dumpsters so that they all match.

The money will contribute to the band’s annual purchase of new equipment including drumpads, colorguard flags, and uniforms. Johnson hopes for the band to be close to financially independent, she said.

“We do what we can to take the burden off the school budget,” she said.

The money is far from the most important part, Johnson said. Her favorite part is giving the kids the opportunity to give back to their town.

“For the kids to give back to the community is huge,” she said.

She hopes their effort to beautify Portales will build a positive work ethic in her students.

This project has also created a bond between the students. Johnson said the work creates a sense of community among the students, which is important in something like band.

link Staff photo: Anna George

Chris Martinez, left, and Emmery Gay help clean up the community on Monday by picking up trash to raise money for the PHS band. They will return on Wednesday to also paint dumpsters.

“You always bond with people you sweat with,” said Hope Carvey, a senior percussionist.

Carvey said the experience was more about bonding than anything and it brought the band together. The band is compiled of all of her best friends and she was glad they could be together to help the community, she said.

“Its really fulfilling knowing we made something beautiful,” she said.

Katlynn Clark, an incoming freshman, said it was a good start to making the band the greatest it can be.

“I want to make the band the best it has been since 2000,” Clark said.

Clark has been in band since sixth grade and it is her whole life, she said. She said she is excited to part of a band that is both older and such a team.

“Band keeps me going,” she said.

Vanessa Gonzales, a junior saxophone player, said the experience made them more of a family.

“We like to help the community as a team,” she said.

If the students learned nothing else during this project, Carvey said she has a new respect for keeping the community clean.

“I might actually yell at the next person I see litter,” Carvey said.