Children collect facts like a sack bulging with Halloween candy. From listening to a parent or older sister or brother to what they hear in the halls and classroom at school, the latest generation soaks up information like a sponge. Keep Alliance Beautiful’s Carlie Foster builds on what students already know about how they can “reduce, reuse and recycle”.
Carlie started on Aug. 28 as KAB’s education coordinator, taking over for Kari Bargen who teaches for Alliance Public Schools. A paraprofessional post with APS was in Carlie’s sights before she was approached by KAB Executive Director Kathy Worley. “It works better with our family schedule,” Carlie said, adding she loves working with kids and likes “teaching them something useful and important.”
Initially, Carlie is striving to connect with kids in every school Alliance has (public and private). “I’m hoping to break into the middle school and high school with something.” She may reach out to Box Butte County’s home school families and Hemingford Public Schools as the academic year goes by.
Technology is another tool Carlie will consider. During a conversation with Dixie Nelson, part of the recycling center crew, Dixie mentioned that one of her grandsons had shown her a tiktok about recycling. “Technology might be a good way to get your foot in the door,” Carlie commented.
Education continues to be a hallmark of KAB’s mission. For Carlie, her first month has seen success with tried and true as well as new activities and challenges. Black Ops returns for third graders, expanding to all five Grandview classrooms and St. Agnes Academy. Second grade at Emerson is having fun with competitive recycling. For their challenge, “I created monster guys to put recycling in and empty them. Whoever empties them the most gets a pizza party at the end of October,” she said.
Carlie will consider ways to pique interest in the three R’s as well as being good environmental stewards in general. She listed ideas including revival of a recycling club Kari had at Grandview, presenting at the public library’s storytime and local youth clubs as well programs at Dobby’s Frontier Town.
Recycling has been something Carlie has embraced as an adult, especially through her family’s fireworks and vending businesses. “I don’t remember doing anything with recycling at school,” she said. “I do remember cleaning up the playground.” She hopes that if today’s students “have a face and a voice for it, it will make some sort of a difference.” Before long, the moniker “recycling lady” will follow her like a shadow.
Carlie is an Alliance High School graduate. She and her husband, John, have three children: Lincoln, Penelope and Jessee. She plays league volleyball, loves to read a good book and spend time at the lake with her family in the summer.