Aaron Thompson / Special to the Home News
National Park Service worker Andrew Georgeades shows the students of the Southeast Career Technical Academy’s Student Organization of Latinos how to plant brush and trees near a bank in the Las Vegas wash during the Las Vegas Wash Green Up September 27.
Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008 | midnight
Forty-two students from Southeast Career and Technical Academy planted about 500 trees and plants Sept. 27 in the Las Vegas Wash.
The work was part of a series of service projects the school's Student Organization of Latinos will do during the year. The students earn points for each project they complete, and by the end of the year, many of them will have earned enough points to win an expense-paid trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Southern California.
The work with the club also will make seniors who are members eligible for one of two $500 scholarships. To be eligible, members must be active in the club, earn at least a 3.0 grade point average and write an essay.
The group is not limited to Hispanic students, adviser Isabel Buckner said. All students at the academy are encouraged to get involved in their community through the service group, which pays for the annual trip through dues and fundraisers.
"We don't have cars or money, so we contribute our time," said Karen Camelo, a senior and president of the group. The club at the academy has more than 200 members, the largest in Clark County.
On Sept. 27, the group was assigned a section of the Las Vegas Wash to plant trees in, but they worked so quickly that by day's end they had planted an entire side of the wash, Buckner said.
She received compliments from other volunteers that day for her group.
"They said it was so hot that day and they didn't hear one single complaint from my students," she said.
The students' job was placing color-coded trees and plants in holes already dug by the Clark County Water Reclamation District. The trees and plants help prevent erosion and filter storm and waste water before it runs into Lake Mead.
About 70 of the club's members will head to Lake Mead Oct. 4 to help clean up designated areas with U.S. Fish and Wildlife rangers.
In the past the group has participated in the Relay For Life, helped out at local blood drives and hosted canned food, clothing and toy drives at their school.
The club also works with City Mission to help feed the homeless on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
"It makes you feel good to help people," Vice President Rocio Chavez said.
The members also help children at the shelter sign up for toys that will come from the toy drive the club helps put on.
"It's their day," Camelo said. "We put out an announcement at school so people will bring in toys."
The club also works with the Student Organization of Latinos at UNLV, where two officers are former club officers at the academy.
Diana Cox can be reached at 990-8183 or [email protected].
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