Earth Day school clean-up crew

Rotiwennakéhte Elementary School and Ratihén:te High School students helped clean their schoolyards and other areas of Kanesatake for Earth Day.

While donning gloves, staff and students - and, at the high school, some parents - accumulated dozens of garbage bags with trash on Wednesday.

For Melissa McGregor, Rotiwennakéhte principal, Earth Day is an important reminder for all how much should be done for nature during the other 364 days.

“It’s year-round that we have to take care of the Earth,” said McGregor.

“We also can plant plants that help absorb the toxins and help clean the soils, we can talk about things like that and sustainable living.”

And she is putting her words into practice. Some students at Rotiwennakéhte will plant potatoes in May, and there are plans for a garden for all students to develop their green thumb and learn about science.

“It’s tied to responsibility and resourcefulness,” said McGregor.

At the high school, students picked up garbage in the schoolyard and other locations, like the Band Office, Kanesatake Health Center, and the canoe club. Parent Al Harrington came out to clean, and invited a friend, leader of the Green Party of Quebec, Alex Tyrrell.

“Al invited me today to come to the high school here to participate in the Earth Day cleanup, which I think is really important, for one, for the kids to learn about environment on this day, and not just learn about it, but to take action in the local community,” said Tyrrell.

Harrington said it was great to support the cause and spend time with his daughter.
“They did an awesome job of getting everything, because I usually have a full bag, but with all the students out there picking up there, I think I only got half a bag,” said Harrington.

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Hadassah Alencar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter