Posted: March 29, 2008

Nampa, Idaho -- Just a few weeks ago, it was a crime scene, now Treasure Valley students are helping to beautify an alternative school in Nampa.

The two day event is to kick off of "Break Through with the Original Gangsters Academy".

Dozens of students spending part of their spring break helping trouble teens have a better campus.

Nearly 60 students from half a dozen treasure valley schools are spending a few days breaking ground to build a better community.

"I think so many kids are on here through spring break, why should they be hanging in Boise when there's something we can do to help", said Riverside International School sophomore Kylie Poppen.

These kids are digging a positive path for Original Gangsters Basic Academy of Development students.

"It's just an opportunity to get outside and play, we're stuck inside, now we can come outside", said OG-BAD student Laura Salinas.

I's also a way to get past some dark moments and close calls for some of these kids who recently came under fire.

"That shooting just came out of nowhere and that wasn't done or something, our school still the same everybody gets along, nobody talks about it, that was old day, past", said Salinas.

Their hard work will be on display for years to come, and so will their memories of team-work of making difference.

"It's cool because we're getting to meet a lot of students from different schools because there's not very much school interaction so the goal of the project is to be bring the community together", said Poppen.

By Saturday afternoon, these sophomores, juniors and seniors will have planted several shrubs and trees, built park benches and installed a new volleyball court.

Where some less fortunate kids will see the brighter things in life.

"What og-bad is trying to do is an amazing thing, which is giving gang members or just kids who have dropped out of high school an alternative to going to high school but still put them to work", said Poppen.

Teenagers moving forward, a break through with Original Gangster's Academy that's taking shape with so many helping hands.

"Thanks to all those people who came out and did all this stuff for us", said Salinas.

the students are sleeping at the academy Friday night after a Mexican dinner and dance.

Local retailers donated supplies and materials for the "Break Through" project which will wrap up Saturday afternoon.