Mason Prep School recently held its annual Lake Sweep. Each year on a Saturday morning, students and their families gather to pick up trash around downtown’s Alberta Long Lake, which is located right across Halsey Boulevard from the school. The event, which typically coincides with International Coastal Cleanup Day, was delayed this year due to Hurricane Florence.
Said Head of School Erik Kreutner, “Alberta Long Lake is near and dear to our hearts at Mason Prep. In 1996, one of our teachers secured a grant to install a dock, a boardwalk, and educational features on the lake. Ever since, our students have enjoyed learning about the ecosystem of the marsh – from right in our front yard.”
Dan McNamee, Mason Prep’s science teacher for grades 7 and 8, helped the students realize their impact by keeping a tally of what the group collected. Litter removed from around the lake included: cigarette butts (1,428), small pieces of glass (368), small pieces of foam (126), plastic bags (39), food wrappers (24), and fishing line (10 meters). The group also reported that the most unusual items collected were one Sperry shoe and one cinder block.
Said Mr. McNamee, "The Lake Sweep is important as it benefits the lake, the community, and our students. Beyond beautifying the lake and making the area more enjoyable for the entire community, our students learn about the detrimental effects of litter on the environment and how each citizen can ameliorate those effects by doing his or her part to keep the Lowcountry clean."
Mason Preparatory School is an independent school for grades K-8 located in downtown Charleston, SC. Mason Prep is committed to the education of the whole child in preparation for secondary education, to the development of the child into a productive citizen, and to the cultivation of respect, integrity, and personal responsibility. masonprep.org
SCBIZtv is part of the SC Biz News family, serving 100,000 high-level business execs throughout South Carolina.
Click for more from SCBIZtv.
