Green ExStream keeps it clean

President Barack Obama has pushed for more attention towards green enterprise, focusing much of the $787 billion stimulus bill on the issue, but some local residents have had their hands, quite literally, on the green issue for some time.

One group of Baldwin County middle school students has especially stood out, participating in Georgia Powers’ “Renew our Rivers” Lake Sinclair clean up, and personally sifting through two tons of trash from the 2008 Sweetwater Festival to properly dispose of recyclables.

“It’s amazing what these kids are doing,” Chuck Claxton, the teacher who started the program said. “These kids are showing that the environment can matter, they really have taken this seriously and made it a real part of their lives.”

The group known as the Green ExStream is made up of Oak Hill Middle School seventh graders.

Students such as Victoria Lamar, Kayla McCray, Brett Chandler and Katelyn Jackson have all embraced these ideas with the mission statement: “Keeping it clean with the Green ExStream.”

The group entered the Scholastic Lexus Eco Challenge, a competition that encourages teenagers to “make a difference in the environmental health of our planet, one community at a time.”

Not only did the students make a difference in Baldwin County, but they were one of eight teams in the nation to be chosen as winners, earning $10,000 and the confidence to continue their quest and spread the word of protecting Millegeville and Baldwin’s environment.

“It was really cool to be chosen,” Jackson said. “We’ve talked to the younger kids and told them why this is important, now we want to get the older kids’ attention, even the college students.”

The seventh graders pointed out many ways in which GCSU students specifically contribute to harming the environment.

“When we cleaned up at the Sweetwater Festival, we took so many beer cans out to recycle and so many plastic bottles,” Lamar said. “A lot of that is the college kids, and they are in the (downtown) area. A lot of them liter. I think if they just did their part and recycle and turn off lights, it would make a big difference.”

Some GCSU students have already joined in.

Senior education major, and Oak Hill student-teacher, Cara Matricardi has helped the students along the way.

“It’s really cool,” she said. “The kids are very excited about what they are doing, this stuff means a lot to them.”

Beth Joiner, anotherseventh grade Oak Hill teacher, has actually been influenced by her students.

“Mr. Claxton started this whole thing,” Joiner said. “I wanted to jump in and help.

“Actually, I was probably the worst (about the environment) before the program, I may be the most improved of the teachers, but it’s easier to go up when you have the furthest to go.”

Joiner has now started recycling and making the effort to be more environmentally friendly in her daily life.

“These kids have been the example,” she said. “You know, they will hold on to a bottle after they’ve finished it and find a recycling bin instead of just tossing it.”

The students will continue to compete in the upcoming Eco Challenge events.

“(The students) are changing the world,” Claxton said. “When they do big things, like winning in the Lexus Eco Challenge, they get credibility. They really have the power to use this for good.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 20 2009. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry