Despite high winds, cool temperatures and cloudy skies, more than 300 students came out on a Saturday earlier this month in the spirit of volunteerism to clean up the areas around Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School and Bruin Parkway.

As part of Bruin Beautification Day, students were given the opportunity to earn extra credit in a class, accumulate up to four hours of makeup time, or add service learning credits to their resume.

"It think it's important to give back to your school because it shows that you are involved and willing to help," said Crystal Hampton, the student who proposed the idea to O-W Principal Gregory McCord.

Individual students joined together for the good of the whole school and the community.

"This is the first time I remember doing something like this to help our school and clean up the environment," Marques Pitt, 17, said. "It was fun."

"There were a lot of people here. Like the principal said, the more people, the less work," said senior DaQuan Clark, said he liked the idea of helping to improve the environment.

Fellow senior Alden Asher said he likes to volunteer, and helping out the environment was a bonus.

"I came out to help our school look better and to take advantage of the opportunity for class credit," Chris Kimbrough, 18, said.

No matter the perks, some Orangeburg-Wilkinson students said their participation was about more than extra credit and volunteering; it was about pride and their future.

"Some people stereotype O-W, thinking that it's a ghetto school where people just get into fights all the time. I want them to know that we are a school that has pride in ourselves and where we come from and to realize that our school is just as good as any school anywhere," 15-year-old sophomore Jasmine Branch said.

Shawn Myers, 17, said, "I thought (volunteering) would be something good for community service and that would look good on my college application."

Other students came out in support of various school organizations and to boost their average in different subjects.

"I came out for credit for my math class and to help Ladies of Kappa League with community service hours," Da'Rein Stevens, 16, said.

Mitchell Simmons, 17, a member of the High Light Society, said, "I think this day really helped our school by bea.jpgying the area around O-W. We worked hard as a team."

According to the event coordinator, Robin Wright, O-W students were not the only ones involved in the cleanup.

"Members of the South Carolina State University Pan-Hellenic Council of Greek organizations assisted with the cleanup and served lunch to the kids," said Wright, who also recognized the dedication of several O-W faculty and staff who were on hand.

"As a school we are growing, and in order to appeal to the community, we all did our part to bea.jpgy our school," said Kimberly Green, 16, who said she volunteered for community service and having the extra credit was just an added plus.

T&D Correspondent Donna L. Holman can be reached by e-mail at ladyflyer7@msn.com.

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