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Arizona Department of Transportation

04/30/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/30/2024 07:43

Adopt a Highway: Young volunteers achieve goals and inspire litter-free highways

Among 9,000 ADOT volunteers are leaders ages 12 through 17. Adopt a Highway volunteer groups may include kids within this age range to participate in a roadside cleanups with the written consent from a parent or guardian.

Janice Rogers recently adopted an area off of the Loop 202 in Mesa and dedicated it to an achievement of 12-year-old daughter Brynlee, who was awarded the title Little Miss AZ Earth in the 2023 Junior Ambassador program of the Miss Earth USA program.

Rogers said, "As part of that title, she has been learning more about the environment and how to get involved."

Brynlee asked if she could clean up her drive to school, which prompted Rogers to contact the ADOT about helping to keep Arizona highways clean and litter-free. Rogers said, "We have already cleaned up four bags of trash and we only got about half of our assigned area complete!"

The mother and daughter team jumped at the chance to get involved recently in a special ADOT hosted Arizona Volunteer Week/Earth Day cleanup event held Apr. 22 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

In north Phoenix, Ridgeline Academy High School teacher Melodee Olson had contacted ADOT about adopting a 2-mile segment along SR 74 as an activity for honor students. The National Honor Society requires students to participate in service to their community, school or other organization. The time spent working on related projects contributes towards the student's yearly service hour requirements.

Olson organized the school's first Adopt a Highway event last year on National CleanUp Day. After the event Olson said, "We had 22 volunteers who showed up for the cleanup, and I believe that we collected about 20 bags of rubbish on the north side of the highway alone."

ADOT applauds these young influencers and their supporters. We appreciate learning about your cleanup event stories and sharing your smiles with our readers.

Hundreds of miles of Arizona roadsides are waiting patiently for kind people to adopt them. Please visit Adopt a Highway Volunteer Program to take the first step in your volunteer journey.