For the fourth time in three years, a group of PEP students is celebrating a major accomplishment: winning a national grant for their community service project. This time, it’s a group of students from PEP Hopewell. The contest is a part of a student leadership program developed by Lead4Change open to all 6th- 12th graders in the United States. The strongest community service projects win grant funding so students can continue their service-learning work. PEP Hopewell’s project was awarded $5,250.
The PEP Hopewell students who won the grant call themselves the “Trash Talkers” because they regularly patrol their neighborhood and pick up litter. The students became curious as they did this work. Why didn’t their neighbors throw away their trash? How could they help their community understand the importance of taking care of their environment? It was this curiosity that led to the Lead4Change community service Project.
Guided by their teacher Pam Walker, the students designed a community survey to assess the reasons behind the litter. The findings were eye-opening: most people littered because they simply didn’t bother to throw trash away. The students realized that it wasn’t more trash cans that were needed, it was awareness. They got to work designing a poster for a public awareness campaign.
Their posters featured someone very special to the group, their class’s pet turtle, Lala. The poster they created features Lala resting above the shores of Lake Erie, the Cleveland skyline rising behind her, discarded bottles and cans at her feet. The top the poster reads: “Protect Our Lake. Respect Our Land” and at the bottom, in bold: “Lala’s Paying Attention.”
Trash Talkers Recognized for their Work
The Trash Talkers are thrilled to receive grant funding from Lead4Change to continue this work, but it’s not the first time they have received recognition for their project. First, they were invited by Cleveland City Council to share what they are working on at City Hall. A few weeks later, several members of the city came to their classroom to announce that the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability formally endorsed their project and would allow them to include that endorsement on their posters. Most recently, the Trash Talkers were featured in a news story on Channel 20.
The Lead4Change funding will help the PEP Hopewell Trash Talkers continue to spread their message about cleaning up the environment. They will now also be able to contract with an environmentalist to amplify their work in the community.
Learn More
For more information about what is happening at PEP’s Therapeutic Schools, visit our website. Contact Nicole Molnar, sr. director, clinical services, at 216-361-7760 ext. 110 or via email to see if a student in your district may be a good fit for Positive Education Program.
Please note, referrals to PEP’s Therapeutic Schools are made through school districts in consultation with parents. Interested parents or caregivers should contact their school administrator.