Contact:
Kelly Misch
Communications Director
Chardon Local Schools
440.286.0409
6th-Grade Hosts Drink Local. Drink Tap.
A Microplastics Lesson + a Zoom Call to Uganda
February 7, 2024 — Chardon Middle School was pleased to host Drink Local. Drink Tap., Inc. (Cleveland, OH) Wavemaker Program Manager Ben Jurek on Feb. 2 for yet another engaging, educational journey with our sixth-grade classes — this time an interactive lesson on the impact of microplastics on the water supply.
The classes first met Ben in the fall when he introduced them to the Wavemaker Program and shared how they can make a difference by fundraising for regions of the world that do not have clean drinking water access.
Chardon Schools Believes Community Connections Build Stronger Schools
Additionally, today marked the highly anticipated event wherein our sixth-grade classes, led by Drink Local. Drink Tap., participated in an international Zoom call, connecting Hilltoppers with Nsawo Primary School in Uganda where clean water has been scarce or non-existent.
Students Learn about Microplastics Pollution - Feb. 2
At the outset of the Feb. 2 lesson with Ben, Hilltoppers learned that the base of all plastics is petroleum or oil — according to Ben, annual oil usage for plastic bottle manufacturing equals enough to fuel over one million cars! — and that over time with exposure to the elements, the plastic breaks down and sheds - leeching particles (microplastics) into drinking water.
Ben provided a plentiful amount of data that was relatable for students and also shared visual aids, including such plastic items as water bottles, fishing line and cigarette filters that were collected from community beach cleanups, illustrating up-close how microplastics pollute bodies of water.
Drink Local. Drink Tap. Wavemaker Program Manager Ben Jurek shows students a collection of 900+ cigarette filters, collected in just two hours of a community beach cleanup and a bottle of water found in the lake, demonstrating how microplastics end up in the drinking supply and also pollute the water for animals.
Also as part of the lesson, students were encouraged to be mindful as consumers and consider using reusable bottles in favor of one-time-use plastic bottles in order to reduce microplastic pollution of our lakes, streams and storm sewers.
Hilltoppers were attentive — demonstrating excellent listening, active participation, and critical thinking as they asked such insightful questions as "Is there a replacement for plastics?", "How long does it take for a plastic to become a microplastic?" and more.
CMS sixth-grade social studies teacher Ms. Rachel Holub, who has served as a key organizer for the Drink Local. Drink Tap. program at the school, stated, "Ben's lesson on microplastics connected to the classes' current read — "Flush" by Carl Hiaasan and the illegal dumping and pollution that occurs in this fictional story."
Students Connect with Uganda via Zoom Call - Feb. 7
Continuing the sixth-grade learning journey with Drink Local. Drink Tap. was this morning's Zoom call hosted by Executive Director and Founder Erin Huber Rosen who is currently in Uganda. This unique, virtual event connected our students with Nsawo Primary School, a community that has faced challenges with access to clean drinking water.
The significance of the call is that in November, through the Wavemaker Program, our sixth-grade classes raised $1,989 to help fund a deep borehole well for the Nsawo school community, which has a population of over 1,000.
Via today's Zoom call, our students had a real-life glimpse of the progress being made on the well, allowing Hilltoppers to see as up-close as possible how their fundraising efforts here in Chardon are making a difference across the globe.
About Drink Local. Drink Tap, Inc.
Drink Local. Drink Tap., Inc. is an international non-profit whose mission is to solve global water equity through education, advocacy and community-centered water, sanitation and hygiene projects. The non-profit's partnership with CMS has become an annual tradition that the school's sixth-grade classes look forward to each year. To learn more about the organization, visit drinklocaldrinktap.org
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