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Students Tackle Schoolyard Trash

April 22, 2010

Registration in Capital City Clean Up’s “Schoolyard Clean Up” quadruples

Students at McArthur School donned gloves and stuffed garbage bags this Earth Day in a bid to rid their schoolyard of trash.

McArthur was participating in Capital City Clean Up’s “School Yard Clean Up,” a program that encourages local schools to organize schoolyard clean ups for a chance to receive recognition and prizes.

“Through this program, students learn to take care of their surrounding schoolyard environment, which after the snow melts, needs a little extra care and attention,” says Elvie DeBenedetto, Senior Program Planner with Capital City Clean Up. “A clean Edmonton is a shared responsibility and these students are showing that citizens of any age can make a positive difference on the environment.”

McArthur is one of 124 local schools registered for the Schoolyard Clean Up program this year—an increase over the 29 schools that signed up last year.

Teacher, Farah Kaba, who registered McArthur School and co-ordinated the clean up with Student Leadership members, says students are learning valuable lessons outside the classroom.

“This is an opportunity to walk the talk—to teach students that small acts like this, at school or at home, add up and have a larger global effect,” Miss Kaba said. “The students take great pride in having a tidy schoolyard.”

West Edmonton Mall and the Edmonton Sun are sponsors of the Schoolyard Clean Up program.

Stacey Claffey, General Manager of West Edmonton Mall, said, “Recognizing the great work of students and the school community is important. Their efforts play a large role in contributing to a cleaner, greener city.”

All participating schools will receive a certificate from the City and be named in a recognition ad in the Edmonton Sun. The City’s Parks staff will select 12 of the tidiest schools to win a $500 grant for a school environmental program.
 
Registration for the School Yard Clean Up ends on May 31. Recognition and prizing will occur in mid-June.

For more information, visit www.edmonton.ca/capitalcitycleanup.

For more information:

Elvie DeBenedetto

Capital City Clean Up

Title	Senior Program Planner
Telephone	780-496-8252