I feel that I should respond to Lance Nater’s comments (Garbage Busters should crack down in schoolyard, Letters, March 1) regarding not only my students’ project, but turning that positive initiative into a problem of litter on Arrowview Elementary School grounds.
Firstly, my students have been participating in this annual garbage can project for ten years. Not only that, many discussions revolve around the environment. As one class, we contribute to our school community, as well as off-campus in cleanup duties awareness.
In fact, as an entire school, we run not only class rotational school yard clean up, but we have an extensive recycling program (plastics, compost, paper and cardboard), taken on by a teacher and students. What Mr. Nater doesn’t see, is the hard work these students do to bring awareness and commitment in keeping our litter down. Students give up lunch hours to collect and sort school waste. Students do spend time cleaning up the school yard. We encourage less waste coming in school lunches, i.e. pre-packaged foods, that end up on the ground.
Since this is a property used by the whole community, everyone is responsible to keep it litter-free, including picking up after dogs.
Jodi Waters
AES teacher