Sixth graders Hailey Bodewig, Kylee Temple, Krista Brown and Taylor Edgar dig into the job in the flower beds at the school.

MT. VERNON – Mt. Vernon Middle School students rolled up their sleeves and spent Thursday, Oct. 30 cleaning up around their school and downtown as part of MVMS Pride Day.

A few middle schoolers worked to the beat of their iPod music.

Some jobs were tougher than others, like raking up goat heads on the baseball field and pulling weeds which were later added to a burn pile, but all contributed to the school and the town in one way or another.

A group of students climbed the hill behind the school to paint the big MV sign. Other jobs included painting the school inside and out, replanting flowerbeds, staking out a sidewalk which starts from the eastside stairs to the parking lot, and various jobs were completed downtown including sweeping sidewalks and cleaning up the city park.

An ongoing project to beautify the south side of the school now includes two picnic tables and some lawn.