Spring has finally come and the warm weather brings many flowers, trees and blossoms. And with summer right around the corner, everyone is mowing their lawn, planting flowers and spending more time outdoors.

This week, we celebrate Earth Day on April 22 and are reminded to take care of our planet, and not just to do that on Earth Day, but all year long.

Schools are participating in Earth Day, too. At Eastside Preparatory School in Kirkland, they have a program called Community Service Day, which takes place three times per year. An advisory group is chosen with different age ranges to do many outdoor volunteer activities. Eastside Prep works with the King Conservation District, Earth Corps, and this year with Cascade Land Conservancy. Community Service Day is held all over King County to pick up garbage, pick weeds and clean up different areas. Community Service Day is put together by the Dean of Students, and all students and faculty participate. The final Community Service Day is on May 6.

Sometimes Eastside Prep helps out inside too. For example, Eastside Prep has worked with Northwest Harvest, a hunger relief agency.

“Eastside Prep loves to give back to the community, and this is an important part of our experiential education,” said Kira Geselowitz, associate dean of students at Eastside Prep.

Peter Kirk Elementary has a program called Pride Day. On Pride Day, students, parents and faculty can come to rake leaves, pick up garbage, pick weeds, trim plants, and clean up the school.

“We all go to school and live in the same community and we all want to take pride in our school and make it look beautiful,” said Sandy Dennehy, Peter Kirk principal.

Pride Day happens twice a year, once in the Fall and once in the Spring. “It’s important to have Pride Day because when students, parents, and teachers help clean up during Pride Day, they are more likely to take care of the school grounds every day,” said Bobbi Ostrum, the grounds beautification chair at Peter Kirk.

Ostrum and Dennehy are in charge of Pride Day and all students, parents, and faculty can participate. “I think having Pride Day is important because it makes the earth a better place,” said Morgan, a third grader.

Look around. See what you can do to help the Earth. Some good places to pick up are your home, school, work, local parks and playgrounds, or just your neighborhood. A clean planet lets us all enjoy the good weather, flowers, and beauty that spring has to offer!

Eight-year-old Allison Hoff lives in Kirkland.