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Schools expand recycling efforts
Keep Liberty Beautiful
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Midway Middle School Builders Club and Science Club students celebrate after a campus cleanup during the spring Great American Cleanup. - photo by Photo provided.
When we were children, my sisters and I loved to “play school.” We also liked to play Christmas and also cowboys and Indians. This was back before kids got to watch television constantly and prior to the invention of video and computer games. Gee, I am ancient.
Now it may seem strange that we wanted to play school, but we did. I can remember propping up my baby brother with pillows before he could even sit up so he could be part of my “class.” I know my siblings will croak when they realize I have exposed our childhood games, but I do have a point: I have always admired teachers, starting at a very young age.
You know, I doubt many of us would have the patience to lead a class of 20 or 30 youngsters day in and day out while helping them learn. But teachers do it and they do it extremely well.
Every day they give more than 100 percent of themselves in and out of their classrooms to help our children grow into educated adults who will make a difference in our world. And many of these teachers are helping student learn the importance of recycling.
At Midway Middle School, Joy Kennedy and her Builders Club look for ways to bring what they learn to life through projects. Builders Club is a youth affiliate of our Kiwanis Club. These middle-schoolers, under the leadership of Ms. Kennedy and with the support of the Kiwanis Club, have participated in recycling competitions, Arbor Day projects and much more. They led their school to a top 10 placement in the nation three years ago in the first national Return the Warmth recycling competition.  Because of their success, our community received thousands of fleece jackets (made from recycled materials) for children who needed winter coats.
Midway Middle also won the local recycling competition this spring, Recycle 4 Liberty.
Kennedy and the students also collected 120 pounds of bottle caps for Aveda Corporation, 60 pounds of soda can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House, 75 ink cartridges for their media center and batteries, too.
This year, Midway Middle School is expanding its efforts. They will launch a schoolwide recycling effort for all of the above items as well as paper, Capri Sun drink pouches and glue containers. The Builders Club and the Science Club are also planning a project for the upcoming Rivers Alive event.
Bradwell Institute is also expanding its recycling efforts this year. Last year, Joanna Van Belkum implemented a recycling program for bottles, cans and paper in certain areas of the school, but this year there’s a team working with Ms. Van Belkum to expand recycling to all the classrooms.
Thanks to all of you students and educators at Bradwell, Midway Middle School and all of the other schools in our area that are challenging students every day to make environmentally positive choices at school and out in the community.  
KLCB announcements that you can use to help save the environment:
• Win-dex Attractive Business Awards nominations for this quarter will be accepted between Sept. 1-30. Call 368-4888, e-mail klcb@coastalnow.net or call the Chamber of Commerce office at 368-4445 for a nomination form.
• Oct. 24: The annual Rivers Alive Cleanups in Liberty County.
• Tell the world how you really feel about litter. Get your free litter car decal by calling 368-4888 or e-mailing klcb@coastalnow.net.
• Keep your “butts” off the streets and sidewalks! Cigarette litter needs to be disposed of properly. For a free cigarette litter pocket ashtray, call 368-4888.

For more information on Keep Liberty County Beautiful programs, contact Swida at 368-4888 or klcb@coastalnow.net.
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Visit with children a real eye-opener
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One of my favorite activities as a state senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year, I spoke to third-grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County.
The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government — executive, judicial and legislative. I explained my role as a senator in the legislative process and told the children how the citizen legislature in the state of Georgia works.
Presenting each of the schools with a Georgia state flag, I explained the three principles for which the state flag stands — wisdom, justice and moderation — and had them recite the pledge to the flag with me. 
The students at all three schools were bright, respectful and well-disciplined — a tribute to their families and especially to their teachers, who had prepared the students for my visit with ideas for great questions.
The students in Ms. Hutchinson’s class at Marshpoint Elementary were impressive in singing the preamble to the Constitution during my visit. What a great way to learn such an important part of our nation’s history — another wonderful example of the great job our teachers are doing.
I was delighted last week to receive thank-you letters from some of the students. Here are excerpts from a few of their letters:
 
Dear Mr. Carter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak to us. I learned so much! I learned that there are two kinds of Pledge of Allegiances. That is pretty cool.
Do you travel all over the world do you? I really like that you taught me more about the three branches of government.
— Megan
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
Thank you for telling us about your job and your favorite thing about your job. I liked the Georgia state flag. I still have more questions. Do you have to work on Saturday and Sunday? Are you the only one who makes the laws?
Yours truly,
Ryleigh 


Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and letting us have a little bit of your time. I want you to know that I learned something new. The Georgia pledge! Justice, wisdom and modesty! Thanks again!
— Liam
 
Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and helping us learn more about the government and some of your job. Thank you for giving us a Georgia flag. It was fun when you came. Thank you for giving us some questions so we could answer them.
P.S. Did you ride in a limousine? I was going to ask you a question but then I forgot. But now I remember. How many rooms are there where you work? You can send me a note if you can.
Your friend,
Erin
 
I’m uncertain whether the students learned as much from me during my visit as I learned from them. One thing that I was reminded of was the honesty that comes from the innocence of childhood. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret some of the questions, such as the one asked in this letter:
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
I loved your speech. Thanks for coming to our school. I think my favorite part was when we held the flag. It was so fun! I have a question: How many people voted for you?
Sincerely,
Shelly
 
I also was more than a little concerned about a recurring question in the thank-you notes that was posed to me during one of my visits by a beautiful, brown-eyed girl who, with a very serious look on her face, asked “Did you ever get re-elected be-fore?”


What a great group of young people! My faith and hope in our future has been reassured. What an amazing job our families and teachers are doing on a daily basis to support and encourage our next generation. Thank you for your dedication to teaching our leaders of tomor-row.

Sen. Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109

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