Cascade High School students join forces for school’s third annual Community Clean Up

LEAVENWORTH — Friday morning, students at Cascade High School (CHS) eagerly prepared for the school’s third annual Community Clean-Up in Leavenworth. Students first reported to their advisory classes, where they received trash bags, gloves, and were assigned specific areas to clean.

The event was organized by the CHS Interact Club, a student-led organization, sponsored by the Leavenworth Rotary, that promotes leadership, community service, and school involvement.

The Leavenworth Rotary Club, a branch of Rotary International, focuses on initiatives like education, peace, health promotion, and humanitarian aid. Rotary regularly partners with Interact to support events like the Community Clean-up.

CHS senior Jaxson Groby, Interact’s Vice President, helped coordinate the event. He worked with Rotary to secure support and supplies for the clean-up.

“I went to talk to Rotary at the beginning of April and asked if they would want to come to our service event. Since Interact is under Rotary, they’re our partners. The community gives us so much, so it’s always good to give back. It’s great for the community to see the high school out taking care of our town,” said Groby.

CHS has a total of 19 flex classes - a designated time during the school day where students can engage in various activities, including extra help, enrichment opportunities – across the four levels of students from freshmen to seniors, each of which were tasked with filling at least two trash bags. 

Students were dispersed to various areas in Leavenworth, including Ski Hill, the Wenatchee River Institute, and surrounding neighborhoods. Equipped with gloves, students combed through their assigned areas collecting rubbish.

The event not only benefits the community but also helps students understand the importance of environmental stewardship. CHS hopes to continue this meaningful tradition for years to come.

Vanessa Ibarra is a junior at CHS and on the staff of the school’s Publications Group. She will be an editor for the group in the 2025-26 school year.