School District, City, and RG Bank teaming up to expand effort

MONTE VISTA — The annual Pirate Pride cleanup day is expanding to the summer and fall.

For over 20 years, the Monte Vista School District has held a “Pirate Pride” cleanup day, when students go into the community to clean, remove debris, and spruce up the streets.

This year, their regular cleanup day is on May 4. But this year the football team, volleyball team, and FFA chapter plan to maintain the areas over the summer. They will be doing this in partnership with the RG Bank and the City of Monte Vista.

RG Bank President Shon Davis approached the school and city with the idea to continue the cleaning effort to the summer and the fall.

Davis said the expanded cleanup effort will add to the work already being done by local service groups, businesses and the city to positively impact Monte Vista.

“The OptiMystics and City are working on getting new lighting downtown and working with business real estate owners to place new awnings and make other improvements downtown,” Davis said. “The Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce is in its second year of a terrific crane art display downtown as well as their regular efforts to promote business in the City of Monte Vista. The City of Monte Vista hangs banners on the streetlights, for various events and seasons. These are great efforts. I thought taking care of the dirt, debris, and weeds would allow all the other efforts that show the City of Monte Vista in a positive light to shine even more.”

MV High School Principal Jose Ortega told Valley Publishing they hope to keep this going throughout the fall and then start looking at doing it again next year.

“We hope that this will instill some pride in the community for our students. Community service is so important that we have it as part of our graduation requirements,” said Ortega, adding they would like to partner with the city and RG Bank every year. 

“We here at MVHS want to help out our community any way that we can. Pirate Pride is a way of life and we want to create a culture of doing what is right all of the time,” said Ortega.

Over the summer, the students will remove weeds, sweep up dirt, and pick up any debris on the streets and alleys downtown.

Davis said the efforts are just a continuation of the already amazing work that students at Monte Vista High School have done for the community for years on their Pirate Pride Day.

“As a parent, a citizen of the San Luis Valley and as a business owner, I am grateful for such great leadership at the school district and grateful that we have such great kids who actively participate in these events,” said Davis.

Davis also said it was unbelievably easy to bring these groups together — The City of Monte Vista, OptiMystics, Monte Vista School District, and RG Bank.

“A credit to all involved. RG Bank, for our part, is going to purchase some tools and donate those to the school district as a ‘thank you’ for the kids’ efforts. It should be noted, however, that the school district said no donation was necessary. And again, this ongoing cleanup should not take away from the Pirate Pride Day this year and previous years,” said Davis.