MLK Day of Service

On Martin Luther King Day, 7 Upper School Students and Mr. Stites made their way to Carter Barron to help clean up the park. This year, Rock Creek Conservancy is dedicating time to restoring five “mini oases” in Rock Creek Park, one of those oases being Carter Barron. This cause is significant to us because Carter Barron is where we practiced during our fall sports season. The park is a place for us to have fun and compete, and so we wanted to do our part to make sure it is the best place it can be. With the help of Mr. Stites, we planned and contacted Rock Creek so that we could attend this event.

When we arrived at the park, we grabbed some gloves and trash bags and made our way into the woods to clean up. Not only were we doing something good for the environment, but it also felt amazing to spend two hours outside in the fresh air. It was also a great way to spend time with friends with no distractions and nowhere else to be. One thing I noticed as we made our way around the park was how many people were just walking on the trails and enjoying the outdoors. It made me realize that it is not just athletes that use Carter Barron, but anyone who wants to get away from the busy city and spend time in nature, which made me more inspired to do whatever I could to help to ensure this park stays clean so all D.C. residents can enjoy it. Our time at the park was something I really cherished and I hope as a student body we can do more to make sure our community stays healthy in the future.

- Calla O'Neil, 10th Grade