In between daily drills, studying and homework, a group of Thompson High School Junior ROTC students have found time to help beautify Shelby County’s largest city.

Members of the school’s Air Force Junior ROTC recently adopted an area on Warrior Drive and around the high school as part of the city’s Adopt-an-Area program.

Through the program, which is organized by the Alabaster Beautification Board, groups of volunteers adopt an area of the city and agree to clean it at least four times a year.

Once the 133-member Thompson High School Junior ROTC learned about the program, they “immediately wanted to participate,” according to retired Col. Eldon Woodie, who is in charge of the school’s ROTC program.

“The Thompson High School unit has 133 kids involved this year, and are anxious to carry on their tradition of community involvement,” Woodie wrote in an e-mail. “The Adopt-an-Area program requires the owning organization to clean up four times a year.”

The ROTC already has gathered gloves, bags and vests from the Beautification Board and worked to clean the area around the high school once this year, and is planning more beautification events for this school year.

Drivers entering the high school from Thompson Road likely will notice the organization’s Adopt-an-Area sign in the grass median of Warrior Drive.

“The ROTC kids hope to motivate others to pitch in and keep Alabaster clean and attractive,” Woodie said. “The ROTC kids want their area to reflect well on Thompson High School and Alabaster.”