Trash in Student Parking Lot: Students Encouraged to Clean Up After Themselves

Minutes after school ends, students rush to their cars and empty the parking lots. However, they leave behind their trash. Trash in the parking lots has been a big problem, one which new Principal Ken Rowley wants to tackle. The trash is mostly fast food bags, soda cans, discarded food, and empty drink cups, which leads administrators to believe that most trash comes from students who eat lunch elsewhere.

Mr. Uluave, an assistant principal said “[Students] are eating in their cars, and are in a hurry, sometimes with multiple people in the car. Trash can fall out or students just throw it on the ground.”

As of now, the school hires custodians to clean the parking lots in the evening, but they aren’t cleaned everyday, especially if it’s cold or has snowed or rained.

Rowley said students are lucky to have amazing facilities, but when people see the school from the outside, they notice the trash, not the school. “We can do better,” he said. “As Hawks we need to take more pride in our campus and school.”

Ms.  Shelly Karren, another assistant principal said “Leaving trash in the parking lots makes more work for people who are already working hard.” Administration wants to obliterate the problem entirely, but it’s difficult to get students to listen to them.

It is a matter of pride and respect. Trashing the parking lot every day during lunch is a reflection on students’ characters and on the school as a whole. Mr. Uluave wants to ask students to respect the school. “Part of being an Alta hawk is being respectful of the spaces you use. Please be respectful that someone doesn’t have to deal with your garbage.”

It is also a matter of breaking the rules and contracts that students have signed. “It is outlined in the parking contract when students get their permit that they cannot litter in the parking lots.” It is a privilege to park in Alta’s parking lots, and taking care of them is something that anyone who has a parking permit is obligated to do.

The administration has some plans to help deal with the trash, such as encouraging students to stay at the school during lunch and adding more trash cans outside the school. Showing a little more effort in keeping Alta’s spaces clean can be a monumental change for the whole school.