An old tradition that has been forgotten

I remember growing up the idea of having to complete community service to graduate high school was passed around by classmates. My Mom told me that all of the volunteer work I did at the church we attended counted, and I logged those hours and turned them into my school. When I graduated, I was honored with an award and acknowledged as the “Riverside County Golden Citizen” award. It was cool to know that all of my volunteer work meant something. Come to find out it wasn’t a requirement that I had to do community service, it was more of a suggestion, but I learned a lot from it. Passing out toys to the less fortunate at Christmas time, turkey during Thanksgiving, Community Clean up days where we just walked around the town picking up trash, volunteering in children’s ministries and so much more. They taught me the value of helping people and to always respect where other people come from because not everyone has the same struggle.

Community service requirements date back to the late 70’s various school districts have approached it differently over the years, and nothing has seemed to stick. Is requiring students to complete a certain amount of hours of community service to graduate a dated idea? Or do you think it could be beneficial to our community? In our last Question For The Community, we had an excellent response and conversations with many of you! This will become a bi-weekly article. In between weeks, we will print answers from the community about the previous week’s questions. So don’t be shy, let your opinion be heard. The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle cares about your opinion and would love to print some of the answers if you would like your response printed, please email VCsportsKyle@gmail.com

I think that community service should be a requirement to graduate. However, I feel like the school should regulate it. How would this work? I feel like kids these days would benefit in a two-semester elective course called Life Skills/Community Outreach in semester one they would learn about things like Paying Taxes, How To Register A Vehicle, How To Make A Resume and other things that will help prepare you for life after High School. In semester two, the class will plan and organize a community service project. This project can be big or small. Students will be graded on attendance and participation. I feel like a class like this will help prepare students for life after school and help show them the benefit of giving back to the community. The position of the classes could even be flipped if the school district felt like that was a better idea. Either way, our community and students at the local high schools could benefit from the idea of a community service class.

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Splash Pads: Responses From Our Readers

In last week’s Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle print edition, we wrote an article asking our readers if they thought the addition of a splash pad would benefit our community. We were pleased by the number of responses; many parents/grandparents were thrilled with the idea. Others in the community were worried about the funding, keeping the park sanitary, keeping unwanted trespassers out, and preventing the park from vandalism were all opinions that were had by many who aren’t in favor of a splash pad to be added. If you read the article, it stated that the funding of the project would come via government grants for underprivileged cities, not taxpayers’ pockets. Also more often than not, the water at these parks only operates between 12-5 and they are usually fenced in. Here are some of the responses from the community about the idea of Hemet or San Jacinto building a splash pad.

“Yes! We would love to have it in our valley we have children that would enjoy it so much! We hope we can get this a pass and get one here.”- Kathy Meza

“I have lived in this community for 20 years, and it seems to get hotter every summer. We could definitely use some better parks and splash pads. It would 100% help as long as we can keep the town’s unsavory homeless population out of them. I have a 1 1/2 yr old and my husband, and I currently have to drive to Temecula to take her to a nice safe, drug-free park.” – Desiree Ortiz

“An interesting idea. First, consider the median income, and home prices in the areas that were mentioned already have a splash pad. The taxes in those areas can support something like this. Now, consider the same for this area. Median income and the home price is significantly lower.

If a grant could be acquired to pay for a splash pad, there is still upkeep and insurance, which would be a pretty penny. Can this area afford those costs and not take money away from other valuable services?

I think a splash pad would be awesome. However, I am concerned about the long term feasibility.” – Jo Ann Roettgen

One reader even suggested that it be built right outside of the police station, that would be one way to ease some of the concerns that many members of the community have. Another suggested we use the state grant money to build a skatepark and look to re-opening the community pools or convincing the local high schools to have free-swimming hours at their pools during the summer.  Many people in our community think a free/very cheap splash pad would make a positive difference in our cities.

The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle looks forward to interacting with you more if you want to respond to the idea of having a splash pad or have a suggestion for our next “Questions to the Community” article, email VCsportsKyle@gmail.com

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