People are moved by mysterious — and not so mysterious drives. One of these forces is the promise of extra credit in school classes.
    It was also a sense of pride and community that inspired scores of students and their parents to spend Saturday morning wrestling with weeds, cleaning out mucky trash and planting greenery at Rio Norte Junior High School in Valencia. . .

    Dubbed “Rio Rally,” the first volunteer cleanup campaign at the 2-year-old school involved such tasks as gum scraping and eliminating hidden pockets of trash nestled in remote areas. Strong, chilly winds didn’t make things easier.
    “We figured if we start maintenance now, it will be beautiful for years to come,” said Ron Ippolito, ASB director.
    “I’m really surprised by the turnout,” said Rio Norte Assistant Principal Betti Sternberg. “It’s pretty fabulous for the first time.”
    With more than 150 students, plus school staff members and parents volunteering, the work went swiftly and even enthusiastically. If there were any discouraging words, they just weren’t heard.

For more information, visit The Signal’s website!