New track courtesy of students’ efforts

July 20, 2012 at 8:24p.m.

CAnfield

Students and residents will soon be able to walk and run safely on the middle school track thanks to a six-year-long fundraising project.

Vicki Latimer, seventh-grade math teacher at Canfield Village Middle School, said she wanted students at Canfield Village Middle School to engage in a project that would benefit the entire district and community over a long period of time.

Latimer said after tossing ideas around with students in her science, technology, action and reaction classes, they decided to raise money through various recycling programs for a new track at the middle school.

The can collection began in 2006 with those sixth- and seventh-grade students.

The school’s track is currently made of ash and gravel, which is the original material used upon its installation years ago, said Superintendent Dante Zambrini.

Latimer said the new track, which will cost about $21,000, will be paved with recycled rubber material.

“The new track will be something that can be used by all students,” she said. “The problem now is that it’s rocks and gravel, and it’s not wheelchair-friendly.”

By the end of the first school year, students had raised nearly $550 through the Mahoning County Green Team’s Cash-for-Cans contest.

The school took first place in the county Cash-for-Cans program from 2008 through 2011, raising $2,547, $1,583, $1,504 and $1,089 in each respective school year.

The project also won two national U.S. Conference of Mayors awards for the city — second place two years ago, and first place last year. The project was awarded $5,000 for each.

The school also received donations that helped round out the fundraising effort.