At Shadow Ridge, girl’s flag football has started doing a little more than just running routes and getting touchdowns. They have begun cleaning up around their school.

Coach Matt Nighswonger prompted his girls to wipe desks and chairs down and drag trash bags around the school to pick up any trash they found.

Many of the girls said this was actually fun! They got to pair up with their teammates and have plenty of laughs while helping their school out. They could accomplish something so big and meaningful while still having fun.

Senior Ahlyssa Robles explains, “I think doing community service with friends is fun and can make the experience more memorable and time go by quicker.”

Doing anything with friends can always make it more fun but community service itself already made these girls happy. Helping out with no reward makes them feel good about themselves and what they have done.

“It is a form of team bonding,” says senior Audrey Gadeski. “I love getting with others to make the world a better place… I truly see a difference when I do so. It makes me feel good once it’s done because of how accomplished I feel.”

Helping out for flag football has even inspired some of these girls to do more community service. Robles describes community service as something deeper than just cleaning desks.

“My help makes me feel important and prideful,” said Robles. “It gives me a sense of identity. Little things can start to make a big impact and if others see us helping it may encourage them as well.”

It has become an honor to help their school by cleaning up. Bonding with teammates can be in any form and this one is definetly an effective one. They can have so much fun and goof off while still being productive and making a difference. They are prime examples that community service can be fun no matter how gross picking up trash or wiping classrooms sounds.

A sense of pride and accomplishment has come with these opportunities to clean up and make a difference especially when its the football field they play on and the school they learn at. These girls have learned that no matter how much or how little time it takes, any amount of help can make a huge difference.