Cleanup Projects Show Teens the Tools to Be Leaders

Armed with gardening gloves, rakes, shears and shovels, 55 young people in town for a convention converged on the Mall yesterday and left it looking a little less trash-strewn.

The teenagers were among nearly 500 high school students attending the World Leadership Congress. The annual seminar is a program of Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, a nonprofit organization founded by the actor best known for his starring role in the television series "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," which ran on ABC from 1955 to 1961. The organization's mission is to encourage young people to become leaders in their communities.

The teens spent the week in seminars about business, entrepreneurship, technology and government. Among the guest speakers were NASA scientists and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

But yesterday was a day of action, with the students dispersing across the city for 10 service projects, including visiting nursing homes, picking up trash along the Anacostia watershed and painting murals at a homeless shelter.

"We make them see they can make a difference, serve and volunteer," said Javier La Fianza, president of the organization.

On the Mall, the youths focused on Constitution Gardens and the National World War II Memorial. They trimmed bushes, picked weeds and collected twigs, gathering everything in blue plastic tarps to haul away. They picked up food wrappers, ice cream sticks and cigarette boxes to dump into large trash cans.

"I've never been to America before," James Robinson, a 15-year-old from Great Britain, said as he leaned against a tree and took in the view. "And I get to spend my time at these monuments and beautiful grounds."

For all its beauty, though, the Mall sorely needs attention. Its pond water is dirty, its benches are broken and many sidewalks should be replaced. The National Park Service says it needs $350 million for maintenance.

More than 25 million people visit the Mall every year, said Ed Petru, the volunteer program manager for the Mall. Every year, about 3,000 people volunteer to pick up litter, plant flowers and do other outdoor work.

"We're trying to instill stewardship with the volunteer program," he said. "Next time they go to a park, we hope they won't drop trash on the ground."

The students had fun chanting and calling out to passersby.

"What do we think of those people over there?" shouted Varun Mehrotra, gesturing to passersby.

"O-U-T-S-T-A-N-D-I-N-G!" the group cheered, spelling the word.

Mehrotra, a 16-year-old from Wildwood, Mo., gave Robinson his favorite Super Bowl hat. "And he gave me a poster from Liverpool," Mehrotra said. "That's his favorite football team. It feels like we've known each other forever."

But for all the jocularity, the students realized that their mission had a serious purpose.

Suhail Zohran, a 16-year-old from the United Arab Emirates, said he comes from a culture of comfort and luxury.

"I don't get my hands dirty like this," he said, donning gardening gloves. "This experience is teaching me about working hard and responsibility. In the U.A.E., I don't even carry my own dishes to the sink," he added.

Dan Peterson, 17, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said friendships have developed this week between students from distant and different places.

"We're from all over the country and world," he said, "but we can still come together and make this a better place."