HS students join in city program to keep road clean
Hot Springs World Class High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps members recently cleaned up Panama Street as part of their participation in the Hot Springs Adopt-A-Street program.
“We are so proud of this student-led effort by our NJROTC members, that provides hands-on, community-centered experiences for our students,” Superintendent Stephanie Nehus said.
The cleaning project directly benefits the Hot Springs area and shows the students how to create real change, she said, noting the Trojan Family prides itself in giving back to the community that continues to also give so much to them.
“It’s one of our objectives within ROTC. It’s a citizenship development program, but community service is a big part of that putting back into the community,” David
Patti, naval science instructor and senior chief, said.
“We do thousands of hours of community service a year on all kinds of various projects within the school and outside the school. This is one of them that we do to put back to the community,” he said.
The NJROTC program registered with the Arkansas Department of Transportation to adopt Panama Street, Patti said, noting it has a section on its website where an individual can enter their information to adopt a roadway.
“If you call in advance, they’ll actually provide you with the safety vest, the bags, and they will even send somebody out there to help monitor the road if you need them to,” he said.
The NJROTC program’s mission is stated in the National Defense Act of 1916, with the Navy starting in 1966. The purpose of NJROTC is “to install in cadets the value of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment,” the mission statement says.
The “adopt a highway program is an excellent way for the cadets to accomplish this,” Patti said.
He said he knew Panama Street needed to be cleaned because he passes by it and sees it daily.
“ROTC is a big part of what we do with the kids is learning
how to be a good citizen and this is just part of being a good citizen; community cleanup and putting it back into your community,” Patti said.