Twenty-three members of Crestwood High School's National Business Honor Society spruced up around the Wright Township Municipal Building Thursday.

Armed with rakes and shovels, the students pulled weeds and dead bushes, and spread mulch, working with township crews who operated heavy equipment to moved large piles of mulch to assist them.

The honor society chose this project, because the municipal building is near the high school and students use township's nature trail for gym classes, said Ashley Zearfoss, president. They felt it would be nice to give back to the township, she said.

Township Supervisor Don Zampetti said he was surprised when he was approached by the students, and at first, thought they were doing community service as a punishment. The students, however, explained they just wanted to help out, he said.

"That's great," Zampetti said, adding the grounds around the municipal building needed work. "They made the place look real nice. I was very pleased."

The students didn't have a lot of time to pull together a community service project, as the students learned earlier this year that their charter was approved, said Joe Pickett, treasurer.

Crestwood's business honor society is the first to be chartered in the state.

The society is an official division of the National Business Education Association, the nation's leading professional organization devoted exclusively to serving individuals and groups engaged in instruction, administration, research and dissemination of information for and about business.

To be eligible for induction in the NBHS, candidates must be high school juniors or seniors who have completed or is currently enrolled in their third business course; and hold an overall grade-point-average of 3.0 with 3.5 GPA in the business course.

Christy Laubach, the high school's business department chairwoman, is the lead advisor for the honor society and worked with the students Thursday.

The society will consider doing the cleanup on an annual basis, she said.