Jackson State students lend a hand to Unification Beautification project [GALLERY]

Jackson State University partnered with the Center for Social Entrepreneurship in clean up and revitalization efforts on Ewing Street in West Jackson on Oct. 15.

Senior marketing major Rachel Payton spearheaded the “Unification Beautification” project. Payton, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss. and intern at the Center for Social Entrepreneurship, led JSU students comprised mostly of Student Government Association members and other volunteers, in removing discarded trash that has accumulated in the area over the years.

Approximately 20 JSU students participated in the collaboration alongside community volunteers who worked together to improve Ewing Street.

Some of the things removed included: car parts, articles of clothing, worn tires and other debris.

“The project was born from a conversation with a JSU faculty member…and was something that I wanted us to do at the Center for our own neighborhood,” said Payton.

Payton also stated that she wants the project to be a catalyst for change and progression in the West Jackson community.

Shante Crockett, executive director of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship, supervised the project. Crockett expressed excitement over the turnout of the first service event.

“We were asking students to get up at 8 o’clock on a Saturday to help clean up a street that they didn’t even live on,” said Crockett said, an Arkansas native.

Crockett explained that she supported the project because she was shocked to see how the neighborhood was treated compared to surrounding communities.

“The best we can do is lead by example,” said Crockett. “I want to see the neighborhood fully integrated in the Jackson State community, like I see with the University of Arkansas.”

Students, including SGA Vice President Isaac Gaines, did not hesitate to put on gloves to bag trash in an effort to revitalize the West Jackson community.

“The purpose of the community service project was to bring the Jackson State students out to community to show the progress that we as students can have on the community,” said Gaines, a senior accounting major from St. Louis, Mo. “I feel, along with other SGA members, that in order to help the community we actually have to get out and place our tiger prints on the community whether that’s raising awareness, tutoring, mentoring or on Saturday cleaning up the neighborhoods of Jackson.”

The Center for Social Entrepreneurship is already planning the next Unification Beautification service event and if you are interested, you can contact Crockett at shante_crockett@hotmail.com.

Photos by William H. Kelly III