Students Paint Drains for Pollution Awareness
By: Shayla Patrick
Updated: May 15, 2012
JOPLIN, MO - Thirty-one students from East Middle School went into the community to paint neighborhood storm drains. Their message "dump no waste" was etched on the concrete reminding residents to properly dispose of fertilizer and motor oil.
Throughout the year students have been learning about non-point source pollution. That's where water from land runoff, precipitation, or drainage picks up dangerous chemicals and carries them into our lakes, streams and drinking water.
"Everyone pollutes, it dosen't matter if you are a two year old or an adult," said Cheryl Mitchell, 6th grade science teacher who organized this trip. "We have all had those instances in which we have trash in our hands or we have a liquid and we aren't so sure what to do with it so at any age it's important to learn that lesson," she added.
The students painted nearly 50 storms drains along Connecticut Avenue.
