I have for the past two years had the opportunity to sit on the Enumclaw City Parks Board. Once a month the board meets and has a chance to see what is happening in the community as it relates to our parks and recreation, along with the programs that utilize them. The city staff is always on point with delivering the needed reports and answering any questions we might have.

During my term we have had a couple of presentation from outside groups relating to programs and or efforts to improve a park or trail. At our last meeting we had the Cedar River Academy give a presentation on their work and goals for Mahler Park. They have taken the park on as a project but also as an opportunity to learn and study the habitat of the park and Newaukum Creek that runs by the park.

Teachers Anna Schofield and Marie Riley gave a brief overview of what the tasks were and how the students went about putting the assignment into motion.

The board members were impressed with the level of detail these students put into the project and the delivery of their individual presentations. I would like to thank Shelby Porter, Clint Larrea, Clara Gerken, Atticus Chous and Jose Garcia for their hard work and for taking the time to come and present their findings with us. This has become an ongoing project that these students will continue to work on during their remaining years at Cedar River Academy and with the incoming sixth graders to follow in their footsteps.

Great job teachers and students you made your school, parents and your community proud.

Tim C. Smith

Enumclaw