More than 30 people attend Thomas Russell Middle School cleanup

Community group Milpitas Cares along with members from the Parent Teacher Student Association came to Thomas Russell Middle School on March 10 to assist with general campus clean-up, painting, and work in the site's Parklet. Of about 30+ people who showed up to work around the campus that day, 10 dedicated adults and students came to help rebuild the paths in the Parklet, and to do extensive weeding around the native plants.

Begun in 2013, Russell Parklet has been an ongoing 8th grade project for Mrs. Flagg’s classes. The science quad previously was overgrown with various weedy types of plants. Mrs. Flagg’s classes decided to construct a Parklet for students to hang out in and enjoy at lunch and break. Over the last five years, students have dug the dry creek bed (wadi), and lined it with rocks, set out the paths, and planted a variety of California native plants. Additionally, the student body purchased the walking bridge and the sign.

A pictorial history of the Parklet is on the following page.

Along with the Russell Parklet, science teachers at Russell decided to paint doors with images of wildlife from California and paint walls with plants native to the surrounding hills and area. Students and science teachers have undertaken the painting of the quad walls and classroom doors.

--Submitted by Myra Flagg