Rodeo Park in Irving’s Valley Ranch neighborhood looks much brighter and more inviting now, thanks to the efforts of several North Lake College students who are working with Keep Irving Beautiful in their Service Learning Program. The group of five students contributed a total of fifteen service hours by painting the pavilion at the park on Friday, April 12. KIB collaborated with the Parks Department, which identified an area that needed attention and supplied the paint and supplies for the project. The result of this partnership is a bright, shiny blue pavilion that now welcomes visitors to the picnic area.

Student Julio Chavez reflected on what a project like this means to him. “It’s great to get involved in something where you are giving your time to the community and also getting credit in your classes,” he said. “It makes me feel good to know that these kids we saw playing in the park today will enjoy the results of our work for a long time to come.”

KIB has been a participating agency in the North Lake College Service Learning program since 2008, and hundreds of students have gone through the program. They donate their time with a non-profit organization such as KIB and receive credit from participating instructors in various courses. Many of these students have enjoyed the experience so much that they have been inspired to continue volunteering even after they complete their schooling.

“We had a great group of students here on a beautiful spring day, and we couldn’t be happier with the results,” said KIB Board Member and North Lake instructor Dr. Yolanda Romero. “Several local residents walked up to tell them how nice the pavilion looked and how much they appreciated their efforts. As always, KIB would like to thank John Page of the Parks Department and his staff for their assistance, as well as the North Lake students, who were outstanding.”

Keep Irving Beautiful is a non-profit, grassroots, leadership organization dedicated to educating our community about litter abatement, recycling, and beautification in order to help preserve the health and promote the social and economic prosperity of our city. If you would like to participate in a project like the one above, please go to www.keepirvingbeautiful.org, or call the KIB office at 972-721-2175.