Getting down and dirty to benefit schools

If you have ever wanted to get down and dirty with your professors, this weekend you might just get your chance.

Students and faculty will have an opportunity Saturday to get involved with community service and help benefit Portland city schools by volunteering for the 2008 Earth Day/Global Youth Service Day.

“This is probably the one time you’ll see faculty and students together down digging in the dirt,” said Kyle Bray, a co-coordinator of the annual event.

Starting at 10 a.m., PSU volunteers will meet at eight Portland K-8 schools in Northeast and outer Southeast Portland.

The event will include a wide array of community service work opportunities, including helping with playground rejuvenation, working on a sustainable community farm, laying compost and painting murals.

Bray, who received the 2005-06 President’s Award for Outstanding Community Engagement, has been involved in coordinating the Earth Day service event, as well as the Portland State MLK Jr. Day of Service event held annually in January, for the past six years.

He said the volunteer work is helpful because it allows PSU students to connect with the city they study in.

“It’s great just to connect with the community,” Bray said. “After all, PSU’s motto is ‘Let Knowledge Serve the City.'”

The event is being sponsored in part by the Student Leaders for Service, the Center for Academic Excellence, Multnomah County Department of Human Services and the PSU EDG:E club.

EDG:E works with eight K-8 schools and two high schools in the Portland area. PSU students from the group mentor middle school students after school and coordinate community projects with the participating schools like the event this Saturday. The projects scheduled for the service day were decided upon by the students at the K-8 schools in conjunction with the EDG:E club.

“It’s neat to go in and pitch an idea for after-school service,” said Emily Hoffer, coordinator of the EDG:E club.

The events will take place between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at Woodmere Elementary, Lane Middle School, Whitman Elementary, Vernon, Woodlawn, Ockley Green, King and Kelly Elementary.

For more information and details on how to register, visit www.pdx.edu/cae/slsserviceday.html.