Keeping New Castle County's water clean takes the collective effort of many people, and through a school-based effort, more than 12,000 people pledged to do their part this year.
As part of the annual Great Schools, Clean Streams program, the county teaches school kids about the need for clean water and encourages them to spread the message to the adults in their life. Schools then compete to see how many people they can get to take a five-step pledge.
Participants pledge to pick up their pet's waste, reduce the use of pesticides and other chemicals in their garden, make sure only rain water goes down storm drains, reduce the use of household chemicals and prevent cooking grease from going down the drain.
“It's a really great way to get kids engaged,” said Kristie Arlotta, sustainability coordinator for New Castle County. “We all have busy lives, but the more we can think about how we treat our water, which is one of our more precious resources, it's really important.”
Newark Charter won a first-place award and $1,500 for collecting 1,137 pledges. Two other local schools, Brader Elementary and Christ the Teacher Catholic School, won $750 prizes for collecting 457 and 398 pledges, respectively.
Other local schools that participated included: West Park Place Elementary, Las Americas ASPIRA Academy, The Independence School, McVey Elementary School, Holy Angels Elementary School and Caravel Academy.
“Great Schools, Clean Streams is a great tool for our Newark Charter community to take part in because it is an easy way to highlight how educating our students on something local can have a large impact,” first-grade teacher Katie Miro said. “Simple ideas that kindergarten through high school students can learn, practice, and spread the word about is what makes this initiative so powerful.”
Newark Charter's campus includes outdoor classrooms and a wooded area with a stream running through it, giving students an opportunity for hands-on learning.
“There is nothing better than seeing our students at the edge of the stream in their rain boots, leaning over with a net in their hand and a smile of anticipation on their face as they search for critters to discover and observe,” Miro said. “This curiosity and love for discovery is what will continue driving students to continuing to pledge to do all they can to take care of the streams and the environment.”
The school is still determining how to spend its $1,500 prize.
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