A simple black door buzzer announces visitors to St. Agnes Academy (kitchen) door 5. Knuckles on steel is a more interesting sound, so I knock instead – my window is 12:30-12:45, Thursdays.The kitchen crew always breaks down and organizes their cardboard and paperboard. I may have to tie the 55-gallon bag of tin cans and plastic jars, but they offer to transport bags and boxes to the Keep Alliance Beautiful pickup.
Like the Bulldog Green efforts of their public school peers, SAA students and staff take pride in recycling at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church’s parish school. The cafeteria staff processes whatever can be recycled, even filling a large orange Hefty Energy bag every 5-6 weeks. The eighth grade class, along with their teacher, Mark Glesinger, collect everything from the rest of the school once a month.
My niece Haley graduated from SAA a few years ago. I remember the sports and activities she enjoyed there. So, it was no surprise to hear that teachers and administration still foster leadership and community service, especially among the higher grades.
While visiting with Glesinger and his class of 10 eighth graders just before the dismissal bell recently, he said the commitment of an hour of community service a week began about 20 years ago. Tate McGhehey, class of 2008 at Alliance High School, was part of the initial group, and Mrs. Parker was principal, Glesinger said for reference. Then, students would clean up at school, walk to the park to pick up trash and take up similar jobs.
Exactly when KAB began working with the Academy to actively recycle is difficult to pinpoint in the teacher and coach’s memory. “I’m not sure when KAB brought containers and we started filling them up,” he said. Initially, SAA had taken a van or other school vehicle with their materials to the recycling center. Last year, we began picking up the bags. The kids help load sometimes and always have the bags waiting by the curb.
Asked about changing out the blue receptacles, the class agreed paper is the heaviest. There are also a couple containers in the gym that fill up with mostly plastic bottles after games. The Parish Center adds cardboard, shredded paper and mixed paper. A few aluminum cans find their way in the load too, they said. The classroom mix features newspapers, magazines and junk mail along with white paper.
With classmates cooperating the gathering process only takes about half an hour in the morning at the end of the month. Afterward, they sanitize desks, chairs, et cetera, throughout the building. Glesinger said a few years ago the activity became more streamlined, assigning “certain people (to) certain floors”. “Amazing how much we have a month, back of the (KAB) truck is pretty filled,” he added.
The longtime teacher said the responsibility is “something kind of fun.” A few of his students spoke up and agreed.
I could not resist a quick poll before leaving the third floor. “How many of you or your families recycle?” Seven hands went up. Seventy percent may not be the best grade on a test, yet I would be impressed if that many of our county residents committed to recycling regularly. It is possible . . . no crusade needed.