e Great American Clean-up, and volunteers from Grambling and Grambling State University made sure that the city and campus were clean. Students, faculty, staff, administrators and community leaders and volunteers grabbed plastic bags and gloves and set out on foot and began picking up trash.
This effort was spearheaded by Miss Junior, Marquetta Childress, who thought it a good idea to get Grambling on board with Lincoln Parish Clean-up.
“It is a good first step towards winning the cleanest city award. If more students clean up, it will help with litter prevention. Also, more students live here. We all live here, so we should continue to keep it clean,” said the Chicago native who is a CIS major.
Bettye Giles is the chairperson of Grambling’s beautification committee. She said Grambling needs to be clean, so she and other volunteers spend every third Saturday of the month cleaning the city.
“Today’s cleaning is in conjunction with Great American Clean-up. I was excited that we had so many young people to show up,” she said.
Doing his part to keep Grambling clean was GSU President, Dr. Frank Pogue. He said it was exciting to participate in the clean-up. Pogue thinks everybody had fun.
“It is important for me to be here and for the staff, faculty, and people in the community to be here.”
Pogue said the clean-up was a great opportunity to get to know one another. “This is what education is about, making sure we are taking care of each other. The students came out to demonstrate that they care,” he said.
He said, “GSU is so integrated in the surrounding community; we really need to keep all of it beautiful. This is recruiting season. Parents and prospective students are visiting our campus, so we need to keep it clean. People judge us mainly by what they see often.”
Another campus leader doing her part to keep the city clean was Miss GSU, Ahvery Thomas. She participated to show people her position is one that should be considered a job.
“This is a change in what people may think Miss Grambling should be. I want to make changes and do some good things before I leave. If it means helping to clean up, I will,” said Thomas.
Beautification committee members present were Consuella Lockhart, Lizzie M. White, Theresa Younger, Audrey Washington, Hannah McCarty, Shirley Wessley, Rodessa Ary, Ida Ary, Isa McGlothen and Larry Jones.
Police Jurors Hazel D. Hunter and Theresa Wyatt were on hand. Other participants and organizations included Dr. Grace Tatem, William Sanders, Nettie Daniels, National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, Pinkie C. Wilkerson Life Development Center, Omega Tau Pi, Black Dynasty, Grambling Council of Black Engineers and Scientists, National Association of Black Accountants, GSU Hospitality Club, GSU Volleyball team, Circle K International, Phi Beta Lambda, Michigan Club, Windy City Association, Criminal Justice Club, Kappa Kappa Psi and Silver Dogs, Delta Teen Lift, Delta Gems, Grambling Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Students participated for various reasons. Volleyball player April Johnson said she got involved so others can see that students take pride in themelves and are conscious about keeping the earth clean.
Zenia Norman said, “We can be mentors for the youth in our community so they can ben inspired to get involved and keep the campus clean.”
“We function better in a clean environment,” said Sherma Danzi, NABA’s community service chair.