Who would ever think a science project could be a big deal? Jade didn’t. That one day would stay in her memory for the rest of her life. That one day started like any other. She was in her science class as Mr. Henry handed back their reports and lectured about an upcoming project. ‘…and you will help the community in any way you see fit. Afterward write an essay on your experience and turn it in…’ Jade rolled her eyes and looked over to her best friend Christy, ‘Do we really have to do this? Ugh…’ and turned back to face her teacher.
Jade walked down the highway picking up trash with Christy as a car drove by and threw a bag of bottles into the bushes nearby. The blue-green water seeped into their shoes as they stepped behind the bushes into the algae-filled swamp. As Jade looked past the moss-filled marsh she saw hundreds of cans and bottles stacked upon one another. The thin air blew the light cans and trash into her face as she grabbed them and stuffed them into her bag. Jade was horrified. ‘Why would anyone do this to such pretty scenery?’ As the girls stepped closer they saw the whole park behind it abandoned. It was littered with cans, trash, and the junk people were too lazy to throw away. Jade knew that she and Christy could not do such a huge task by themselves, but didn’t want to give up.
The following day the girls called their friends together to help pick up the once beautiful park. All together now they walked, once again, into the trash-filled marsh. Even though picking up bottles, cans, and other trash was not Jades favorite past time, she felt better and better with each she picked up. As her trash bag grew bigger, so did her spirit. After a couple of hours you could start to see the grass that lined the floor and the old playground equipment that hadn’t been used in years. The algae-colored slide and the trashed sand pit could now be seen along with the swings and monkey bars. ‘If my friends could do this much, how much could my whole class do?’ Jade wondered.
The next day her question was answered. Mr. Henry thought it was a great idea and brought the whole class into the park for a field trip. As classmates worked together, the forgotten park came to life. For the first time in many years it was truly beautiful. As the sun set behind the trees, the light flickered against the smooth metal of the slide and the chains of the swings. As Jade and her class left, she looked back, and smiled. Not for the A she got on her project, but for the true beauty the park actually had. As she walked home she knew she would remember that moment for the rest of her life.