SMS Students learn a different kind of 3 Rs

Middle school students don’t usually give much thought to cleaning their own rooms much less the wider environment around them. The seventh grade students at Seneca Middle School (SMS); however, were recently a part of an interactive presentation that helped them realize how the choices they make daily about trash do impact our environment. The program, called Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow, was presented by DHEC representative Kris Abeil. Abeil was invited to give this presentation by teachers Deborah Belflower and Eddie Chavis to kick off the ecology unit in their science classes. The program highlighted the three R’s of conservation, reduce, reuse and recycle, and included activities which had students making their own mini compost bin and classifying different types of trash. “Having Ms. Abeil come at the beginning of our unit provided a bridge between the classroom and the real world,” said Ms. Belflower. “As concepts are taught in the classroom, we will relate them back to this program. However, the hope is that her presentation will not only aid the students with their current classwork, but also equip them to think and act responsibly regarding the environment throughout their lives.” Pictured is DHEC representative Kris Abeil presenting “Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow” to seventh grade science students at SMS.