After hearing about Loïck’s project “Helping Mother Earth” last April, Madame Jessika Paulin-Savoie’s Grade 1 French Immersion students from Lord Beaverbrook School (Campbellton, NB) wanted to get involved. They decided to go and collect litter in the school’s playground and around the building. The students enjoyed this activity so much that every week after that, they kept asking their teacher if they could go out and do a cleanup again.
Due to their positive attitudes and interest in this type of environmental activity, Madame Jessika decided to make litter cleanup an ongoing classroom project and to submit a proposal to Encorp upon seeing ads for its 2021 Recycling Heroes Community Cleanup Grants program. Soon enough the other Grade 1 class wanted to join in and together, the students gave themselves the goals of picking up enough litter items to fill 35 garbage/recycling bags in the month of June. The two Grade 1 classes also motivated themselves by determining that they would celebrate with a BBQ once they would have achieved this goal.
So, during the entire month of June, once a week, both classes went around the school neighbourhood to collect litter. They found and collected items that needed to go in the trash as well as items that could and would be recycled. The neighbourhood was soon all cleaned up, and the students struggled to fill their bags with more items. One student suggested that they start collecting litter items around their home neighbourhoods, and on class field trips. When students collected litter around their home, or at the park, they reported back to the class the next day, and their totals were recorded to help the project achieve its litter pick-up goal. Students even starting bringing empty bags on their field trip in case they came across litter at the beach or at the park.
This activity brought awareness to the children on the importance of recycling, as well as not littering, and making a difference/helping the environment by picking up litter they would see in beautiful outdoor spaces. The students were able to see that every little action helps, and by working together, they can make a difference. Madame Jessika is confident that these children will continue to be #RecyclingHeroes and promote the anti-litter message wherever they go.
BRAVO Lord Beaverbrook School, Madame Jessika and all the students from the Grade 1 classes! Way to go!
