Students earn pavilion

If all goes as planned, students will soon be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers under the shade of a new pavilion and barbecue pit at Evans High School.

For the past two years, student organizations have been raising the $18,500 needed to build the 20-foot-by-40-foot pavilion, said Jamail Larkins, a senior and executive committee chairman of the student council at Evans High School.

''Last year, we started the project as a barbecue pit, but when we talked to the principal and teachers about it, we decided we wanted something larger - a pavilion with a barbecue pit that could be used by students, teachers and community members,'' Jamail said.

The fund raising has not been easy. At first, the council was going to sell bricks for the project, but that only netted about $1,000. Then the students decided to turn to corporate donors to get the project off the ground.

Individual classes also have given generously, Jamail said, including the classes of 2000, 2001 and 2002, which made the largest donation, $5,000, when it gave its senior project money to help build the structure.

The pavilion should be completed by Oct. 19, which is the day Evans High School will celebrate its homecoming and play its homecoming football game against Jonesboro High School. Students plan to celebrate with a ribbon-cutting and party before the game, starting at 5 p.m.

''It was a really good idea that one of our student council officers came up with and the idea just kept growing and growing,'' Jamail said. ''Hopefully it will be something the school and community can all use.''