'Kids Crew' cleans-up University Heights

Second-grader Hanna Patterson is making a difference, one piece of trash at a time.

Inspired by her class’s “Sharing the Planet” unit of inquiry at Birney Elementary, Hanna created the “Kids Clean-up Crew,” also known as the K.C.C. With the help of her teacher, Ms. Lori Rapczynski, Hanna and the Kids Clean-up Crew picked up litter on the school grounds and around the University Heights neighborhood on a recent Saturday afternoon in June.

Although shocked by the amount of litter to pick up, the students enjoyed identifying items that could also be recycled. The “Kids Clean-up Crew” even received a standing ovation outside Lestat’s Coffee House for their efforts.

Hanna first began picking up litter while taking walks with her mom around her own neighborhood. The response from people on the street and business owners was so positive that Hanna was motivated to expand her efforts to other neighborhoods and get other kids involved, so she created the “Kids Clean-up Crew.”

Hanna’s desire to make an impact on the world exemplifies the curriculum being taught as part of the International Baccalaureate program at Birney, which encourages students to take action that makes a difference to and in the world.

She looks forward to joining with other kids to organize more “Kids Clean-up Crew” neighborhood clean-ups. To get involved with Kids Clean-up Crew, please email info@birneypta.com for more information.