The National Park Service has proposed a new plan to renovate the Mall and restore some of its monuments…

But as Jessica Forres reports some local students are already on it ...

[NAT: SWEEPING]

Hidden behind trees and overgrown shrubs, there stands the DC World War I memorial. But the monument.. which honors those who fought in so-called Great War of the 20^th century…isn’t looking so great.

Leaves and branches litter the ground and mold stains the white, marble dome.

That’s why Ruth Fikeru, an eighth grader from DC’City Public Charter School, is sweeping the cracked sidewalk in front of the memorial.

IT’S NOT A NATIONAL MEMORIAL IT’S LIKE JUST FOR D-C AND SO IT’S KIND OF LIKE OUR JOB TO CLEAN IT UP AND I THINK THAT WAS ALSO THE PLAN WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING THAT D-C WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.

But neither DC nor the National Park Service have taken responsibility for maintaining the monument. Edwin Fountain is with the WWI Memorial Foundation, a group trying to raise funds for the memorial’s restoration.

WHEN THIS WAS DEDICATED IN 1931 THERE WERE NO NATIONAL WAR NO NATIONAL WAR MEMORIALS BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL THE VIETNAME VETS CAME ALONG THAT THERE BECAME A MOVE FOR A NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL TO THE VIETNAM WAR.

He says so far 14-thousand dollars has been raised.

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The National mall is one of the most visited landmarks in the nation’s capital and one of the most neglected.

Jessica Forres reports on how local students are trying to help out...

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[Nat sound of student sweeping ground…]

Ruth Fikeru, a student at Capital City Charter School in DC, is sweeping the leaves around the WWI memorial.

THE DEBRIS FROM THE TREES AND EVERYTING IS GETTING ON THE MEMORIAL AND THE ACID RAIN IS RUINING THE MARBLE.

Fikeru and her classmates along with students across the nation are trying to clean and raise funds for the restoration of the memorial. Edwin Fountain is with the World War I foundation.He says the National Pak Service has been taking care of it but lately that has become a struggle.

“Funding”

The foundation has raised 14-thousand dollars in the US and is reaching out to European countries for support.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News