Homecoming shifts to community improvement, Live Oak Park to benefit from student-powered competitions

The days of tissue paper-covered floats chugging around the high school football field are over, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Since the new state-of-the-art track at Warrior Stadium cannot accommodate the heavy floats, a new tradition will emerge. And it’s pretty spectacular.

Student leaders of Fallbrook High School and Associated Student Body (ASB) advisor Josh Way have revealed that all four classes (ninth through twelfth grade) will put those hundreds of hours of energy, unparalleled creativity and thousands of dollars into a large-scale community service project. The site selected to benefit from this year’s (inaugural) effort is Live Oak Park.

“Everybody is familiar with Live Oak Park,” said Derek Majewski, ASB president, who is credited with the idea of putting homecoming resources into a community service project. “I think everyone has had at least one birthday party there.”

Majewski explained that he came up with the idea over the summer, after the ASB group had spent several months trying to decide what to do for Homecoming.

The student leaders knew they wanted to keep the element of spirit and competition alive and continue to foster parent involvement as well. They also wanted the effort put forth into Homecoming to have a lasting effect and not be dismantled the next day, as floats have usually been.

“This is the perfect year to make a change,” Majewski said. “We get to start the next level.” Majewski said his family alone typically gives between 200 and 300 volunteer hours each year to Homecoming float building.

Plans are being finalized now with the San Diego County Parks and Recreation Department to define four specific improvement projects for the park. Park Ranger Tom Contreras said, “I gave them some options and let the kids come up with some proposals.” The projects are likely to involve:

• Refurbishment and addition of amenities to the softball field

• Improvement and beautification of the front entrance and information kiosk

• Improvement of the two-acre picnic area on the south side of Reche Road (across the road from the main park grounds)

• Remodel/reconstruction of a footbridge and renovation and fencing of the adjoining shade garden

At Live Oak Park on August 25, Contreras walked the grounds with Way, Majewski, senior class president Tatiana Prestininzi and ASB secretary Tori Kessel. While viewing the improvements needed, the students reflected on their own personal memories associated with the park.

“I remember being here when I was as young as 3 years old,” Prestininzi said. “It’s made an impact on my life. It’s a piece of Fallbrook that’s sometimes forgotten. I think it needs some love.”

The students agreed that having all four classes at the same site would lead to a greater element of competition and school spirit during the traditional five-week effort. It was also mentioned that the site would likely draw support.

“It’ll be easier for people to remember it’s at Live Oak Park; they can get involved!” said Kessel, who says her fondest memories of the park center around the annual Arts in the Park, sponsored by the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District and Rally for Children.

“The kids are really getting fired up,” Way said, smiling.

Way said details are still being finalized as to how to present the finished projects to the Homecoming night audience October 10 at the football stadium. Talk revolves around the possible use of big screens and images to share the students’ accomplishments with fans. Students will be recognized for their efforts, that is certain.

“We will still feature the top 25 contributors of hours on each of the four projects and we want to have a ‘People’s Choice’ vote on Homecoming night,” said Way.

“We’d also like to have a barbecue event at the park where people could purchase a plate of food and all proceeds would be donated back to the fund,” Majewski said.

Way explained that, in the past, each class has been given $1,000 in seed money from ASB to start their Homecoming float and donations from parents and the community usually brought expenditures up to $2,000 to $3,000 per class.

“When you multiply that by four, it’s a lot of money and man hours to invest in a community service project,” Way said.

Way said the students will be able to work on the projects at the park weekdays after school until 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Two parent volunteers are needed to supervise at all times.

Contreras said he was delighted to hear the students were interested in improving the park. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” he said.

Majewski said what inspires him is to think how four projects can be done each year and how an incoming freshman would see a total of 16 significant projects accomplished over his or her high school years.

“That will make a difference,” he said, nodding in satisfaction. “It’s a great way to leave our mark on our community. Since most of us have been coming to the park since we were little, you could say we are returning to our roots.”

Donations and help from the community are most welcome for this project. To inquire about specifics, or to arrange to make a donation, contact Josh Way at Fallbrook High School by calling (760) 723-6300 or e-mailing [email protected].

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