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Local students clean up their neighbourhood

May 10, 2018 | 5:00 PM

Students from Queen Mary Community School lent a hand Thursday as part of cleanup efforts around the city this week.  

Students from the school’s Grade 5/6 class were among those from a number of schools in the area to take part in the cleanup efforts during Pitch-In Week. Students from Westview Community School, Wesmor Community Public High School, and St. Michael Community School, also took part this week, joining Ward One City Councillor Charlene Miller in the effort.

Miller is among three local councillors who organized a cleanup as part of Pitch-In Week this year.

Students helped pick up litter, including straws, juice boxes, and candy and food wrappers from areas around the West Flat. Larger items such as furniture were also collected and deposited into large steel bins outside Parkland Hall. 

“Don’t litter and throw your garbage away, and recycle everything,” said Jeanine Starblanket, 12. “It makes me feel sad because then our earth is not clean.”

Ysabel Gallegos, who teaches the Grade 5/6 class at Queen Mary, said her students show an interest in protecting the environment and keeping their community clean.

“I think it shows and help them see a kind of pride in their community … They all live down here, they all walk to school mostly, they all hang out outside once the sun is up, so it shows them that they can be all be proud of their community, their school,” Gallegos said.

“I know some of my kids, we had free time and they actually had me call the office to ask if they could go outside unsupervised to clean the school yard with the buckets and everything, so that was a super proud moment.”

Delvin Gamble, 11, took part in the cleanup for the first time Thursday. While it can be hard work, he said he often picks up discarded bottles and cleans up the yard at his home as well.

“It’s good to clean up,” he added.

 

charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt