Middle school pupils clean up with pride in Wedgewood area

The group hopes to conduct cleanup projects in other sections of the township.
AUSTINTOWN -- Wedgewood Park is expected to be a little cleaner this morning, thanks to some seventh-graders from Austintown Middle School.
The pupils volunteered to come to the Lancaster Drive park Saturday morning to pick up litter as part of a project directed by a new school group called the Austintown Clean-up Crew. Members of the group said there were two reasons for the project:
"To give kids a [clean] place to hang out," said Becca Ruffner, 12.
"And show that kids can make a difference in the community," said Dana Ferguson, 12.
Learning about pollution
Pupils in Mike Zoccali's science classes formed the group earlier this year. Part of the class curriculum calls for pupils to create a solution to a problem, and when the group was formed, the pupils were learning about pollution in waterways, such as creeks that run through the parks, Zoccali said.
In October, Zoccali read his classes a Vindicator story about a group of residents working to clean up and improve Wedgewood Park. Zoccali also showed his pupils pictures of litter in the park, including a discarded shopping cart in a park creek.
After hearing the story and seeing the pictures, the pupils decided the problem they were going to try to address was litter and pollution in the township parks, Zoccali said.
"They seemed to be interested in it and excited about it," Zoccali said.
The group members received donations of garbage bags, gloves and other items from local businesses for the project, and they encouraged their fellow pupils to be at the park Saturday morning.
How they benefited
Zoccali said that through the project, the pupils learned leadership skills and demonstrated that they can be a positive influence on the community.
"They'll be able to show to the community that they can accomplish things if they put their mind to it," Zoccali said.
The pupils said they hope that by cleaning up litter, they will make more land at the park available for young people like themselves to use.
Young people "want a park to play at," said Jordan Diana, 12. "We really want a [clean] park," added Corey Skully, 12.
The group members added that in the future, they hope to hold fund raisers so they can raise money for cleanup projects in other parts of the community, including the College Park baseball diamonds.
"Everyone says it's really dirty," said Brendan Bone, 12.
hill@vindy.com