ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — It’s taken almost two years, but the first phase of the Parent Teacher Student Organization of Robertsdale High commemorative brick campaign is almost ready to go.

There are just 300 of the $30 bricks left to sell. in phase one. It’s been a long haul for PTSO and its president, Karen Carnley.

“We could charge more than $30, but we wanted to make it affordable,” Carnley said. “We started this two years ago.”

The project started with a survey.

“We had just started, and we sent surveys out to the students asking for their input. What we got was that they didn’t have a break area, a place to eat lunch sitting down.”

The school does have a cafeteria, but many students like to eat in the covered area near the cafeteria door. There are only a few tables in that area.

“They have to eat their lunch sitting on the ground,” said Carnley, a Silverhill resident.

The PTSO hit on the idea of paving the area near the cafeteria doors with commemorative bricks.

“We can do this in phases,” said Carnley.

The project is called “Cut In Stone,” and each brick can have three lines, with 16 characters or spaces per line. The messages (nothing profane or suggestive) can be endless, and can honor a family, a class or allow a student to leave his or her “mark” on their school.

As of now, the entire class of 1951 has purchased bricks. All the bricks from their class will be placed together.

Carnley is hoping that other classes will consider purchasing bricks as a group.

“If we see full classes buying bricks, their classes will be together,” said Carnley.

The brick program will allow former students and supporters of RHS to be “loyal,” Carnley added.

The bricks are also a permanent way, Carnley points out, to share memories of loved ones.

“One lady bought a brick for her late daughter, and one for her grandson,” said Carnley. “We have sold a lot of bricks in memory of loved ones.”

Seeing the orders come in and hearing the stories behind the bricks has been an eye-opener for the former Atlanta resident.

“You see what we have to be thankful for in Robertsdale,” said Carnley.

Carnley and her family were impressed with RHS when they made their first visit. The family had toured other schools.

“We interviewed schools,” said Carnley. “At Robertsdale, the students opened the door for us, the counselor offered us a chair. It was very warm. Students and a teacher gave us the tour.”

Carnley helped to found the PTSO and has served as the group’s president. Her daughter, Lauren, will be graduating with the Class of 2009.

“The most common question I get is, ‘is this really going to happen?’ My response is ‘Yes, it will.’”