Last Saturday Highline’s TRIO and Talent Search program’s held a cleaning event at the Des Moines beach. 

TRIO Student Supports Services is a federally funded program for current college students (which can include Running Start, international students, and undocumented students) that provides low-income, first generation college students and students with disabilities the valuable support and services that will assist in student success and persistence towards their education.

The purpose of this event was to teach students about taking care of the community and building their brand for applying to colleges and scholarships, Nitasha Lewis, the TRiO Talent Search Director, said.

“The event was geared towards teaching our students how to give back and take care of their community. The reason Talent Search implements a community service component in programming is to help students strengthen their ties and sense of belonging,” she said.

“The component also gives students an opportunity to build their brand and become more successful when applying to colleges and for scholarships,” continued Lewis.

The event was held on June 3 and conducted by Lewis and the team planned and executed the event under her instruction. 

Lewis also said this is also the first event directed by the Talent Search program that has ever happened at Highline.

“Because Talent Search is a new program at Highline, this community service event was the first of its kind. Talent Search is in its pilot year, so this event is the first of many,” she said.

Talent Search is a federally funded educational opportunity program funded by the US Department of Education. It is an academic and support program that helps students in grades 6-12 to succeed through middle and high school, to graduate, and continue to college.

The event welcomed students coming from nearby middle schools and Running Start students at Highline.

“Students from our program, Talent Search, ranged from middle schoolers at Pacific Middle School, Mt. Rainier students, and Running Start students here at Highline, and students under the age of 27 who have stopped out,” said Lewis.

One student said they participated in the event because it would benefit the environment.

“I decided to join this event because I adore the environment. I think that by doing this, it will help the environment to be better,” said an anonymous student from Mariner High School. “They came to my class to talk about the TRIO program and this event, then kept updating my email. I told my friends about this event too.”

This cleaning event also brought interesting experiences to the students and helped them get out into nature. 

“One thing that I really like [is] searching and finding new things so it feels like we are going on an adventure,” said an anonymous student from Mariner High School.