Young ambassador leads cleanup effort in Las Cruces

At just 17, Jordyn Campion has already taken on a problem many adults overlook. 

The Las Cruces native and Centennial High School junior has removed more than 200 illegally dumped tires from the desert — a hands-on effort that now extends into her role as a Land of Enchantment Young Ambassador, after being selected as one of 14 students statewide by the governor. 

Campion is now using that platform to organize a community cleanup set for April 18 near her school. 

“I really just wanted to help make an impact in that part of the community and get more community members involved,” Campion said. 

She said seeing litter scattered across the desert while driving through Las Cruces made the issue difficult to ignore. Rather than waiting for someone else to step in, she chose to take action. 

For the past two and a half years, Campion has focused on removing illegally dumped tires, reaching a total of 208. That experience has shaped her current work, with a focus on both cleanup efforts and community education. Through the upcoming event, she hopes to highlight the long-term effects of littering while encouraging residents to take greater responsibility for the surrounding landscape. 

“I’m hoping it will help not just now, but in the future,” she said. “And to show what can happen to our deserts when we don’t take care of them.” 

As a Young Ambassador, her work centers on environmental advocacy and community engagement, including projects aimed at increasing youth involvement across the state. She said that mission begins with taking initiative. 

“You can’t just wait around for someone else to do something,” Campion said. “You have to figure out what you’re passionate about and pursue that.” 

The community cleanup is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. April 18 on public land northeast of Centennial High School. Organizers hope the effort will not only improve the area surrounding the campus but also encourage continued involvement beyond a single morning.