CARRBORO -- Members of the Latino teen organization Pa'lante are cultivating the Carrboro Growing Healthy Kids Community Gardens by working in the garden over spring break and publicizing it on their weekly radio program on WCOM.

"The number one goal of Pa'lante is to make the community healthy by keeping people informed about activities and issues that will help them grow as individuals and as part of the whole community," said Felipe Labrada, a Pa'lante member who attends Carrboro High School.

In order to maximize Pa'lante youth members' effectiveness as resources for their peers, the organization's adult mentors schedule activities focusing on the local community during school holidays. The youths' work in the community garden will include planting and mulching on Friday morning, and they will discuss their experiences on Radio Pa'lante on Friday afternoon. March 28.

"We'd like to get lots of people involved in our gardens so that they really are a part of the Carrboro community -- having Pa'lante youth work with us and talk about it on the radio is a wonderful service," said Ellie Morris, a staff member coordinating the garden project, which is sponsored by the Orange County Partnership for Young Children, the local Smart Start agency.