Earlier we told you about the city council's plan to crack down on garbage offenders, many of whom they believe are being paid to litter. Well, City Hall isn't the only entity with a garbage problem. St. Ignatius Primary School this morning launched what the school calls "civic pride week." Item one on the agenda of Civic Pride Week was the launch of the school's garbage police. Keith Swift found out more.
Keith SwiftReporting,
These 20 students are on the front line of St. Ignatius School's war on littering. They are called civic officers and this morning they were officially sworn in by Deputy Mayor Wayne Usher.
[Clip of Swearing in]
That duty will be to keep St. Ignatius clean, at any cost. In this case it only be twenty-five cents - a shilling. These garbage police will each have a ticket book, like this one, and they are now authorized to ticket offenders. It sounds easy but this squad of 20 will have to police a school of one thousand of their peers. Khiana Gordon says she is up to the challenge.
Khiana Gordon, Civic Officer
"I am going to be looking for people who are throwing garbage around the school and I have a warning to my classmates and my friends, that just because you are my classmate or my friend, that doesn't mean that I should give them another chance. If I see them doing something wrong, I should correct them."
Correct or - more specifically - ticket them. This morning's swearing in launched the school's civic pride week. Principal Roman Magana says the idea of civic pride began when the Parent Teacher's Association acquired these garbage bins from Brodies. He says they then decided to take it a bit further.
Roman Magana, Principal
"We have seen that anytime students, after eating snacks, drinking their ideals, they would just throw the garbage right where they are standing and so it becomes a problem that sometimes we are cleaning up three to four times for the day and many times I cannot do it by myself, I need the help of students and that sort of keeps students out of the classroom for maybe five or ten minutes."
And St. Ignatius's civic pride week is a part of a larger effort by the city council to clean up the streets - literally. The council has a mascot - he's called Mister Tidy and there is also a jingle. And while the jingle is catchy and the mascot is entertaining - Mayor Zenaida Moya - who is a graduate of St. Ignatius - says a serious lesson is being taught.
Mayor Zenaida Moya,
"We have the swearing in of some civic officers. They will be responsible to ensure that all the students keep the place clean and if they see any student littering, they will issue a ticket, a littering ticket to that individual and a small fine of 25 cents which is small for us but maybe 25 cents may be a bit for the students."
An hopefully that bit will be enough to make these students think twice before littering.
Other activities planned for civic pride week are essay, poster, and theme competitions.
