These two 9-year-olds weren’t going to wait around for the adults to do something about their school’s waste problem – so they took matters into their own hands.
Lyla and Katie are both third graders at East Cooper Montessori Charter School in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. During one of their lessons, they learned about the negative effects of styrofoam on the environment – from how long it takes to biodegrade, to how much it contributes to landfills worldwide.
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The girls spoke to the head chef about their dilemma. The chef then contacted the school district for a quote on the dishwasher. The price of both new plastic trays and a dish washing machine came to $10,000.
Unfazed by the sum, Lyla and Katie got to work – and with a little assistance from Lyla’s mother Eliza Hardman, who is also a school teacher at East Cooper, the girls kicked butt.
“I was thrilled to help! I wanted to make sure the girls had done their research, which they had,” Eliza told the Good News Network. “They had already talked to the school chef, who contacted the district about getting a quote for the dishwasher. They had also made posters to put around the school and a donation box for the front office. Then, after they wrote up their mission statement, and I saw how serious they were, I knew it was time for me to get involved.”
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Eliza created a GoFundMe campaign to help with the third grader’s goal – and they’ve already raised $1,500.
Though there’s still a long way to go, Lyla and Katie are turning heads with their gusto and determination.
“I am so proud of Lyla and the efforts she and her friend Katie have made to help their school. It’s inspiring to see two people so young make such a positive impact. Both girls have really big hearts and already are developing an awareness and concern for environmental and social issues, so to see them put their ideas into action is really exciting!”
Click To Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photo by Eliza Hardman)