Canyon students claim beautification project

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This unchanged article ran on the front page of the Jan. 26, 1999, edition of the Shoshone News-Press. If you remember this story, or other BLAST FROM THE PAST articles, let us know by writing us or commenting online.

By ANNETTE GRIFFUS

Staff writer

CANYON — Children are creative, smart, and capable of achieving anything.

A group of third, fourth, and fifth graders at Canyon Elementary School proved just that after writing a grant that will allow them to beautify their school playground.

The students recently received a $500 “Do Something” grant and look forward to making an impact at Canyon for future students.

The students in Pat Alf's and Linda Albrecht’s class — Zac Sverdsten, Nick Weingart, Michael Mitchell, Philip Connell, Jamie Marshall, Rashell Watson, Kelly Stock, CJ Higbee, Tiffany Carney, and Mari Stewart — received the grant to add a picnic table, benches, shrubbery, and garbage cans.

What may astound some people is the fact that the grant was written entirely by the 8 to 10 year olds. The students, known as the Canyon Community Connection Club also did the research, gave a detailed budget of needed materials, and will ensure the project is completed on time.

The club hopes to begin the project this spring.

Each student also wrote a brief summary about why the school needed the grant. All agreed that it’s something the community needs.

The students plan to build a picnic table to put in the gazebo as well as add benches and garbage cans to put next to the table. They will also add shrubbery to make the playground look better.

The students understand the importance of having the playground as it also serves as the community park.

“Our school is the only park-type playground in the community so we might as well add more to make it nice,” said fifth grader Kelly Stock.

Fourth grader Philip Connell wrote, “people come year-round to visit the playground in our community. That’s why we would like to get some benches and a table for the people that use our community park.”

Fifth grader Jamie Marshall believes in the project because he can see a need for it.

“It’s a spot to sit and eat because we don’t have that now,” he added.

Fifth grader CJ Higbee believes that the grant will help because on hot days people can use the benches and the picnic table to sit in the shade.

Zac Sverdsten, a third grade, wrote he thinks the idea is a good one and so should others.

Fifth grader Rashell Watson said students divided into groups and each one had a part of the grant to work on. Students called area businesses to find out the cost and if the businesses could donate labor to the project. They were met with great enthusiasm.

“Valley Building was really, really nice,” said Tiffany Carney, another fifth grader.

Several area businesses agreed to donate materials and labor to the project. Whiteman’s Lumber will donate the wood for the table, Bumblebee Nursery will donate plants for the park, and Kellogg High School will donate the labor for the building of the table.

The students don’t plan on being left out of the project.

“We started it, why shouldn’t we finish it,” said Marshall.