BHS Sophomores Take on Challenge to Clean Up Roadways
By Julie Perine on April 20, 2021 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
The roadways are cluttered with litter. With so many COVID restrictions in place, high schoolers are coming up short on volunteer hours.
A group of Bridgeport High School sophomores and parents solved both problems in one fell swoop.
“The 10th graders are having difficulty finding volunteer hours due to the pandemic,” said Michele Skaggs, parent. “Places like nursing homes won’t let them come volunteer right now.”
With two days of activity under their belts, participating teens committed to clean up local roads outside city limits. A parent stepped up to be the lead on the project.
“Julie Love called the Department of Highways and arranged to pick up signs, vests and grabber tools,” Skaggs said. “She talked to them to find out where we could be most helpful.”
The group has worked the past two Sundays.
“We worked on Hinkle and Deegan Lakes Road from Briarwood all the way out to Young & Stout’s road and Brushy Fork to Anmoore underpass and Route 58 from Rosewood to the Social Tap and around U-Haul,” Love said. “Lastly, we did a portion of Route 20 from the Coca Cola business to Life Pointe Church.”
The work didn’t go unnoticed.
“I can’t count the number of cars that stopped and said, ‘thank you’ and trucks that blew their horns, etc.,” Love said. “The kids felt such a sense of pride. It was a great project!”
Skaggs said one gentleman even came back and brought the kids a couple dozen hotdogs and a case of water.
On April 11, 13 students and five parents participated. On April 18, 19 students and five parents showed up to help. Collectively, the group collected several dozen large bags of trash.
“I think they learned a lot,” Skaggs said, “especially not to litter.”
Earth Day is Thursday, April 22. The Greater Bridgeport Convention & Visitors Bureau and Connect-Bridgeport challenge other groups, families, and individuals to get in on the action. City trails at Hinkle & Deegan Lakes and within the city, as well as neighborhoods need clean-up. Please send us pictures and information about where you’ve helped spruced up the city and we will showcase your efforts. Send to julie@connect-bridgeport.com.
Photos are courtesy of Michele Skaggs and Julie Love. See more photos in the gallery below.
