Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

September 2007 Beach Clean-Up

Turning back around, looking, and taking pictures of the crowd of 100 Senn High School students walking towards Osterman Beach, I knew that I would enjoy the rest of the four hours that were yet to come. Looking at the people stopping to let us walk by, asking us questionâ€™s like who are we and where are we going brought a smile across my face. I turned around, focused the camera to the perfect spot, and took three or four quick pictures as everyone turned the corner. When we finally got to the beach, I looked around, and thought about where to start cleaning. But as I looked around, there werenâ€™t many big things lying around in the sand. As we got into our groups, and went further down by the rocks, I noticed how many cigarette filters were lying around along with bottles, cans, paper, bags, socks, and much more garbage that people littered along the beach.

I went from group to group snapping pictures, focusing on people who picked up trash and put them in the recycling bags. Every 15 seconds, at least one tally mark was made on our garbage and recycle sheet. I also picked up trash and dug deep down between the rocks to take out bottles and I helped my other fellow group members pick up trash. I never imagined that so many people can make such a big difference. From far away, the beach looked perfectly clean, but as we got closer, the trash began to appear and lots of it too. As I introduced myself to the director of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, I knew that what we were doing was a good cause. This was a great way to help our community, by picking up the trash and recycling bottles and cans. I have participated in beach clean ups since my freshman year, but this is the first year where I took yearbook photographs. Through these pictures, other students, teachers, family members, and friends can see what we are doing and how they can also help to change the community.

Through this beach clean up I learned many things about myself. I learned that I am not the type of person that likes to see other people litter in open public places. I learned that I enjoy helping the community, and that I am willing to do a lot of things to make the world a better place by first starting in our neighborhood. My group contained 4 large recyclable bags that weighed over 20 pounds each. These four hours in the cold, by the beach meant a lot to me and to the other people in the community. This was a treasured moment because if someone asks me what I have done to help change the community, I wonâ€™t hesitate to mention my experience in the 2007 Osterman Beach Clean Up.