Clean Earth Challenge

In the 2024–2025 school year, Carver Elementary embraced the National Wildlife Federation’s Clean Earth Challenge as a comprehensive, student-led initiative to promote environmental stewardship and community engagement. This action aligned with multiple EcoSchools pathways, including Waste, Community and Leadership, Curriculum, and School Grounds, and followed the Seven-Step Framework to ensure meaningful and measurable impact.

The project was spearheaded by our student Eco-Action Team, the Guardians of the Triangle, who initiated the campaign by conducting an environmental review of litter and waste on school grounds and surrounding areas. They developed an action plan that included organizing regular cleanup events, educating peers about the impacts of litter on local ecosystems, and promoting responsible waste disposal practices.

Implementation involved the entire school community. Students from all grade levels participated in cleanup activities, collecting and categorizing litter, and recording data to track progress. The Eco-Action Team collaborated with teachers to integrate the initiative into the curriculum, incorporating lessons on environmental science, data analysis, and civic responsibility. Additionally, partnerships with local organizations, such as the Richmond Hill Garden Club and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, provided expertise and resources to enhance the program's effectiveness.

The impact of the Clean Earth Challenge was significant. Students collected substantial amounts of litter, leading to a noticeable improvement in the cleanliness of the school environment. The initiative fostered a sense of ownership and pride among students, as they saw the tangible results of their efforts. Teachers reported increased student engagement and awareness of environmental issues, and the school community as a whole demonstrated a stronger commitment to sustainability practices.

Social-emotionally, the project empowered students by giving them leadership roles and opportunities to make a positive difference in their community. Through teamwork and shared goals, students developed collaboration and communication skills, and many expressed a heightened sense of responsibility toward the environment. The Clean Earth Challenge not only enhanced environmental literacy but also strengthened the school’s culture of sustainability and civic engagement.

During our Clean Earth Challenge, Carver’s campus truly became a community classroom as family volunteers, members of the Richmond Hill Garden Club, and school staff joined students in hands-on stewardship. Parents and siblings teamed up with Guardians of the Triangle to patrol the campusand playground, modeling civic responsibility and teamwork. Garden Club members shared expertise on native plantings, demonstrating how thoughtful landscaping prevents erosion and supports wildlife. Student leaders organized supplies, guided safe practices, and celebrated every bag of litter collected, reinforcing that every role—student, family, or educator—matters in caring for our shared environment. By learning alongside these community experts, students saw firsthand how collective action and local knowledge combine to protect our schoolyard and watershed. 

Our Eco-Action Team—Guardians of the Triangle—led the charge by creating colorful, student-made posters that were displayed throughout the school, encouraging peers and families to participate in the Earth Day cleanup. These posters featured hand-drawn illustrations, persuasive messages, and facts about litter and its impact on local wildlife. By taking on the roles of artists, advocates, and organizers, students not only amplified the importance of environmental action but also inspired their school community to work together in caring for our shared spaces. Their creativity and leadership helped transform the event into a meaningful expression of schoolwide stewardship and civic pride.

The Clean Earth Challenge at Carver Elementary is deeply connected to curriculum through its alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the Georgia Standards of Excellence, and the NAAEE K–12 Environmental Education Best Practices. This action supported cross-curricular learning in science, English language arts, and social studies by engaging students in real-world problem-solving, persuasive communication, data collection, and environmental analysis. Through the Clean Earth Challenge, students didn’t just clean up litter—they investigated human impact on local ecosystems, exercised civic responsibility, and practiced stewardship of shared community spaces. The project emphasized core NGSS dimensions such as analyzing and interpreting data and engaging in argument from evidence, while also fostering environmental citizenship as described in the K–12 Best Practices Framework. By giving students agency in their local environment, the Clean Earth Challenge strengthened their understanding of interdependence and cultivated the knowledge, skills, and values needed for active participation in sustainable communities.

Looking ahead to the 2025–2026 school year, Carver Elementary plans to expand our Clean Earth Challenge by deepening student leadership, increasing family and community involvement, and integrating year-round litter prevention into our outdoor education curriculum. Building on the success of this year’s student-led cleanup, our Eco-Action Team will work with classroom teachers to embed waste audits, environmental impact data collection, and civic advocacy into science and ELA instruction. We plan to host quarterly schoolwide cleanup events in partnership with the Richmond Hill Garden Club, city officials, and local environmental organizations, with students leading data analysis and public awareness campaigns. Additionally, we aim to establish a Clean Earth ambassador program, where student leaders mentor peers and share best practices for waste reduction at home and in the community. By turning the Clean Earth Challenge into an ongoing initiative, we will continue fostering a culture of environmental responsibility that extends beyond our campus and into the greater Richmond Hill area.