Border initiative to clean up trash utilizes teens to help get message across

  "Lucha limpio" is a phrase that some Yumans might not know right now, but one group hopes that their "fight clean" motto will help clean up the border.

  Trash is a problem on both sides of the border, and an alliance, made up of representatives from Mexico and the U.S., hopes that a new promotional campaign aimed at youth will help spread their message.

  The alliance, part of the No Contamine/ Don't Trash La Frontera movement, met earlier this month and at the meeting, unveiled its new ad campaign geared at reaching local communities through the youth.

  EOC Charter High School student's Yesenia Camarilla and Cassandra Highuera were chosen to create a radio ad to promote the fight clean campaign.

  The ad, which is running now on local radio station KLJZ 93.1, features Camarillo and Highuera talking about how much trash is created each year, and how it's a problem for everyone.

  Jezreel Ramirez, program assistant coordinator with the Regional Center for Border Health, said they chose teenagers in an effort to reach all members of the community.

  "They just have contact with everybody in the community," he said. "You always want to hear what a youth has to say."

  And that's just what he did with the radio commercial.

  Ramirez said he let the teens come up with the dialogue and decide exactly how to do the commercial - and they wrote and produces the commercial in just two short sessions during spring break.

  Highuera said they wanted to make it just like the two were talking about trash.

  Both Camarilla and Highuera could relate, because both have seen the affects of trash along the border.

  "People just dump out the things they don't want," Highuera said, talking about all kinds of trash she's seen including beer containers, clothes and even dead animals.

  "It's really sad," Camarillo said. "(It's) pretty much every where."

  The pair said it was exciting to make the commercials.

  "It felt good to be talking about that," Highuera said.

  The commercial, in English on the U.S. side, will run through next year and will change to include updates about future trash cleanup dates.

  A similar, Spanish commercial, also created by teens, will soon run on La Comadre 89.5 radio station in San Luis, Mexico.

  Other marketing tools include future billboards and an upcoming television commercial, which will also be created and produced by local youth.

  Ramirez said the group's next clean up date will be some time in June, and for updates, visit the Regional Center for Border Health website.