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‘Scrub and Grub’ fills campus needs, hungry stomachs

By Jonathan Cooper

Students and community members recently collaborated, donating a Saturday morning to beautify the campus of Corona del Sol High School in exchange for free food and pride in their work.

The project, known as Scrub and Grub, involved the collaboration of Corona students and alumni, the Boy Scouts of America and the LDS church that neighbors the school.

The approximately 275 volunteers accomplished a slew of tasks April 23, including painting walls, fire hydrants and parking lot curbs; laying brick in a previously muddy area on the southeast side of the courtyard; adding to the xeriscape landscaping; spreading gravel; and leveling the sidewalks that had been deformed by tree roots.

After the work was completed, volunteers were treated to a lunch donated by area businesses, hence the name Scrub and Grub.

“It was very successful,” said Assistant Principal Mark Duplissis, who organized the project with the help of the National Honor Society officers.

“A lot of projects were completed. I got a lot of compliments from everyone here on campus.”

Students felt the project was worthwhile and enjoyed their experiences.

“I got to meet people that I normally would never have the chance to talk to,” said senior Carrie Moy, who helped with various painting tasks.

 Scrub and Grub was an excellent way to thank Corona for her time there, she said, adding:

“It seemed like a really good community service project. I went to Corona for four years and I felt like it was a good way to give back to the school.”

The project is a rebirth of a similar event that used to occur at Corona several years ago, and which has been successful at other schools in the area. Duplissis said he hopes to keep the project alive this time, continuing to enhance Corona’s campus through Scrub and Grub every two years.

“It was a lot of work,” he said. “But now that we’ve done one I know what it’s like and I feel pretty confident we can do it again.”

Scrub and Grub was about more than merely a sense of service to the community, participants said. It was about pride in their school.

“When you walk onto the school campus you see how nice it looks,” she said.

“It gives students a sense of pride; it gives Corona a good reputation.”

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