CYI student-organized event helps clean up city and educated youth
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
Sgt. Rodger Ollis and CYI members dispose of tires picked up from around the city.
COATESVILLE – Recycling and recycling education were the main points of order at the Coatesville Youth Initiative’s fourth annual Recycling and Living Green Festival on Saturday.
While games, a moonbounce, and other kids’ activities took place in the park, CYI members cleaned up streets and took materials for recycling. Coatesville Police Sgt. Rodger Ollis and Mike Zurratt collected tires for also collected tires for recycling.
Zurratt said that he was inspired to try to make a difference in the city after his house was one of the first to be burned down in the 2008 arsons.
“After being a victim of the arsons, I decided I have to do something,” he said. “Something has to be done to change Coatesville.”
Together, Ollis and Zurratt collected three and a half truckloads of tires, down from last year’s four and the previous year’s eight truckloads. Ollis thinks that some residents initially set out their tires think that they will be picked up with trash. Other residents follow suit, which leads to an accumulation. He said that cleaning up neighborhoods can clean up the behavior that happens in those neighborhoods.
CYI members agreed, saying that both recycling and education about recycling practices can help improve the community.
“If we can bring that [recycling] more to the community, it will help strengthen the community in many ways, making it look nicer and everything feel better,” said Casey Hammond.
In addition to the recycling efforts, Saturday offered multiple kids’ activities.
CYI decided recycling was a top priority after a study done three years ago.
“Three years ago, we did the community needs assessment, and we asked everybody in CYI, ‘What do you think Coatesville needs?’ There were a couple of ideas, but recycling and cleaning up our neighborhoods really stuck out,” said Ryan Leahan.
In addition to the actual recycling, CYI Executive Director Chaya Scott thought that educating residents was just as high of a priority. Tables were set up for residents to register to receive the new trash cans and recycling bins from the city and also receive information on what types of materials they could recycle.
Scott said that the organization makes a conscious effort to work with resources from within the city, such as working with city council on the trash cans and the police department on tire collection.
CYI Youth Program Coordinator Mena Badros said that in addition to educating residents, the Recycling and Living Green Festival, which was organized by CYI youth, helps to educate the young people on what it takes to put together events.
“It’s interesting to say the least,” he said. “What we do as a staff is we create the structure and make sure there is time in there for students to plan accordingly so that they can take charge.”
He said that the hands-on experience can teach the kids lessons they may not learn anywhere else.
“A lot of them have to step up and volunteer or do things that are out of their comfort zones. They have to lead teams, they have to make sure others do what they are supposed to do, so it teaches a lot of accountability and responsibility,” he said.
