Twin Falls Students Join Rotary Club for Annual CSI Fitness Trail Service Project
Middle Schoolers and Elementary Students Work Together to Maintain Campus Trail
TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Students from the Twin Falls School District rolled up their sleeves Friday afternoon to take part in a time-honored community service tradition, joining the Twin Falls Rotary Club for an annual project that has been a fixture in the Magic Valley since the 1980s.
Volunteers gathered at the College of Southern Idaho Fitness Trail to spread bark across nearly two miles of the popular campus path. The event, organized by the Twin Falls Rotary Club, brought together area middle school students alongside younger volunteers from Bickel Elementary School, giving students of multiple grade levels a hands-on lesson in community service and civic responsibility.
Twin Falls Rotary Club President Kevin Bradshaw said approximately four area middle schools sent students to help rake and spread the bark along the trail. For many of those students, the experience represents an introduction to organized volunteerism — one that Bradshaw and his fellow Rotarians take seriously.
“We get the middle school kids to come and help us learn about service and they help rake the bark out along the trail,” Bradshaw said, according to reporting by KMVT. “They learn about the service and they do a good job.”
Bradshaw emphasized that the value of the project extends well beyond the physical work itself. “It’s just important to have kids understand that when you give to the community, you give back and you feel good about what you’ve done,” he said. “Even though it’s a little bit, they’ll feel good about what they’ve done.”
Bickel Elementary Ties Project to America 250 Ambassador Program
Among the youngest volunteers on the trail Friday were second and third graders from Bickel Elementary School, whose participation carried an added layer of significance. Bickel Principal Jorge Pulleiro said the school is participating as an America 250 Ambassador School, and Friday’s trail work counted as one of 250 Acts of Kindness the students are working to complete as part of that designation.
The America 250 initiative ties into the nation’s semiquincentennial — the 250th anniversary of American independence. Twin Falls schools have been marking the milestone through a series of events and assemblies throughout the school year, with Bickel’s community service campaign representing one of the more active local efforts.
Principal Pulleiro, who emigrated from Argentina and has lived in the United States for three decades, said the project reflects something he has observed as a defining characteristic of American culture.
“This is a nation of service,” Pulleiro said, according to KMVT. “I’m originally from Argentina and one of the things I’ve noticed in the past 30 years that I’ve been in this country is that Americans love to serve others and so service is such a powerful act.”
His remarks resonated with the broader mission of the day: teaching young Idaho students not just the mechanics of volunteerism, but the deeper meaning behind giving back to the places and institutions that serve their community.
A Tradition Rooted in Community Partnership
The CSI Fitness Trail bark project traces its roots back to the 1980s, making it one of the more enduring examples of community-academic partnership in Twin Falls County. The College of Southern Idaho campus trail benefits directly from the annual upkeep, while the schools and Rotary Club gain a structured opportunity to model civic engagement for the region’s youth.
All told, participants covered nearly two miles of trail with fresh bark during Friday’s event — a tangible result that students could see and take pride in as they wrapped up the afternoon.
Volunteerism and student community engagement remain a consistent thread in Twin Falls School District programming. The district has also worked to expand student support resources, including on-campus mental health services at area schools, as part of its broader commitment to student well-being.
What Comes Next
The Twin Falls Rotary Club is expected to continue coordinating the annual CSI Fitness Trail project in future years. Bickel Elementary students will press forward with their 250 Acts of Kindness campaign as the America 250 anniversary continues through 2026. Families and community members interested in future volunteer opportunities with the Twin Falls Rotary Club can contact the organization directly for upcoming event information.