Murtaugh High Students Design Community Sign

Murtaugh School District, nestled in an agricultural area in southeast Idaho, is located off Highway 30. As a way to invite visitors into town to explore what Murtaugh has to offer, the students have chosen to create a community entrance, as part of a service-learning project, which will be attractive and inviting to passerbys on the highway. The students have worked closely with the Idaho Transportation Department to meet the requirements for designing this entrance. The student committee consists of ten students from 6th grade to 11th grade, all who are dedicated to improving their town and increasing community pride.

These students have worked diligently to design an entrance in collaboration with Riedesel Engineering, Lytle Signs, and Conservation, Restoration and Seeding, Inc. that demonstrates pride in Murtaugh. Students brainstormed and selected the sign lettering, color theme, community slogan and content. Currently, all design work has been done, permits have been filed, and students presented their finished design to the City Council. The site is being prepared for construction in the Spring and Fall of 2009. Students will work with the Landscape Architect throughout the winter to learn about native plants that flourish with little water, and they will create the plant list for the project. This student-designed entrance will certainly bring pride to the Murtaugh community.

Student's Corner: Using Service as a Tool For Learning
By Guadalupe Gomez, Murtaugh High School
I believe that service learning provides a way for students to help the community and be involved in projects. This allows students to learn valuable skills such as teamwork and cooperation. Our service experience at Murtaugh has helped me in many ways. I have gained an awareness that my opinion counts and that I can make a difference in my community. Our group has made nearly every decision about the design of our community entrance together, so I have learned that there is never a reason for me to be afraid to express myself or my ideas.

For me, this experience has put the knowledge I learned in Agriculture class to use. I have been involved in site layout and landscaping design. This experience has helped me to become more interested in jobs that involved landscaping. I have enjoyed learning about how many different aspects are involved in creating a community entrance and how these organizations have to work together to prepare and plan for the vision the design team creates.