The students at the Carl & Louis Stokes Academy in Cleveland noticed litter around their school.  The trash and debris around the school compounded with some of the students’ disrespect for school property and they took very little pride in their school.  The Youth for Justice team at the school wanted clean up the school’s appearance.

As the project progressed, the Youth for Justice team started to focus on cleaning water pollution from around the school and city.  Through their research, they noticed a lack of clean, fresh water.  They also learned that the litter around the school can get into the watershed, potentially further polluting the water supply. 

The YFJ team visited the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to learn more.  They also presented a “Green Your Waters” PowerPoint to the Cleveland Mayor’s Cleveland Conserve rally.  The team created a brochure with tips and information to encourage their peers to join in recycling efforts to keep clean water. 

At Carl & Louis Stokes Academy, there is a new recycling program for paper and plastics.  Parents are even sending recyclables to school as proof that the message is getting positive response from students and their families!