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Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesSprauve Youngsters Clean Up for Coastweeks

Sprauve Youngsters Clean Up for Coastweeks

 Julius E. Sprauve School students taking charge of the cleanup effort at Coastweeks.While there’s no hard science to back up what they saw, adults who year after year accompany the Julius E. Sprauve School Coastweeks cleanup at Cruz Bay Beach think the beach was cleaner this year than others past.
“It seems like less cigarette butts,” Laurel Brannick, the education coordinator for V.I. National Park, said.
She suggested maybe the businesses that front the beach are doing a better job at keeping the beach clean or perhaps the downturn in the economy means less people to litter.
Audrey Penn, program manager at the Friends of V.I. National Park, suggested that the recent passage of Hurricane Earl and the impact from Hurricane Igor’s huge waves may have scoured the beach of debris.
“And everyone is thinking green,” she said, inferring that the push to keep the environment clean carries over to reducing the amount of debris on Cruz Bay Beach free of debris.
While there may have been less garbage on the beach, the 25 students from the fourth-grade, gifted and transitional classes were enthusiastic about picking it up. And they were obviously understanding the importance of keeping litter off the beach—a lesson emphasized in pre-clean up instructions given by Brannick.
“Some of the animals might get sick and die,” Brianna Wilson, 10, said, echoing the remarks of more than a dozen students interviewed during the clean up.
Jeicu Lewis, 9, has a slightly different take on the situation.
“We’re cleaning it so it could look nice and pretty for visitors. They’ll say ‘What a pretty beach,’” he said.
The teachers were equally enthusiastic.
“They’ll carry this lesson with them,” Ambrozine Fullerton said as she held a black plastic bag filled with garbage picked up by the students.
Coastweeks events across St. John are organized by the Friends of the Park group. Penn said that by participating, the students take ownership of the community. Since most regularly pass by the Cruz Bay ferry dock, the location is a way to bring home the message.
The Sprauve students’ efforts caught the attention of at least one passerby.
“I think it’s great that they’re doing this. It helps make everything beautiful where the tourists come in,” St. John resident Denise Walker said.
After the cleanup, the students were treated to hot dogs courtesy of the Beach Bar.
Penn said it’s not too late to organize a Coastweeks Cleanup.
Call her at 779-4940.

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