All hands were on deck at Salem Elementary School Saturday morning

as school administrators and volunteers gathered with one goal in mind, to clean up the school.

   After coming back to her former school to donate school supplies Vanlisa Jones-Young owner of VQ Transport said she knew she needed to do even more to give back to the school.

“While visiting Salem Elementary last week to donate backpacks and supplies to the school, one of the teachers, Mrs. Wyconda Lewis mentioned they were planning to have a clean-up day.

   So, I decided to get additional volunteers together to perform additional needed tasks such as pressure washing, painting and landscaping,” she said.     

 There was work done inside and outside of the school.                                                                                                                          “We are striping the parking lot, pressure washing the sidewalks, cutting the lawn, landscaping and painting the boys’ and girls’ bathrooms,” Young said.

She said the students being able be proud of their school is important.

   “We are doing this because we want to give the students and community a facility to be proud of,” Young said. “Personally, I feel that something as simple as a bright color paint on the walls can uplif the student’s spirits. We are hoping that this project will be the first of many to help beautify the school. We want the students to know that the community is here to support them.”

Principal Chinita Irby said after joining the staff, she knew she needed to make some changes.

“When I assumed the position last year as principal of the school I saw a lot of need,” she said. “I saw the need of beautifying the campus and doing a lot of things that needed to be done and create a different climate at the school.”

Irby said she is happy the alumni thought enough of the school to come back and help with the efforts of making Salem Elementary better.