It's not every day that elementary students get to swap pencil and paper for bins and recyclables, but for some young minds in Columbus, the lesson on sustainability was quite hands-on. Shady Lane Elementary students recently delved into the world of waste management with a trip organized by Columbus City Schools’ Summer Experience. Partnering with See Kids Dream, the students visited the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) Education and Resource Center, where they got a firsthand look at the journey of trash from bin to landfill.
Engaged in the Service Learning Pathway, the kids were not just introduced to the environmental issues but were encouraged, through their visit, to reflect on their own habits, Vada Kennedy, program and intern coordinator for Directions for Youth and Families/See Kids Dream, mentioned with hopes, "that they would become a little more mindful about what they’re throwing away and just think more about ways to help the planet." According to Columbus City Schools, a particularly memorable segment of the day had them in teams, sorting items like they were on some sort of eco-mission—plastics, metals, and paper transforming from everyday objects to symbols of a sustainable future.
The interactive lesson spotlighted the three R’s—reduce, reuse, and recycle—but attention gravitated towards the latter, as students learned what can be repurposed rather than relegated to waste. Facilitated by SWACO officials, the kids' excitement was palpable. "We hope that teaching them young and helping them understand about diversion and knowing what they can bring to the landfill and what they can’t, gets these kids excited about recycling and composting," Leah Cordier, SWACO communications administrator, told Columbus City Schools.
The excursion's impact was best encapsulated by the awe-filled reactions the students had from the sight of towering trash hills on their landfill tour. Facing the harsh reality that 5,000 tons of material are deposited daily into this single site illustrates the massive scale of waste issues. Yet, it was through this lens of stark reality that inspiration sparked in kids like third grader Adam Luangrath. Sharing his unforgettable experience, he committed to asking his parents to recycle after his exposure to the landfill. "I loved sorting the recyclables and seeing the landfill," Adam said in a statement obtained by Columbus City Schools. "It inspired me. It showed me we need to help the planet."
With this small yet significant expedition, it seems Columbus' youth are not just taking out the trash; they're taking steps toward a sustainable future. Embedding these eco-conscious values at a young age may prove to be the seedling for ongoing environmental stewardship—a triumph over trash in its own right.
