Catch of the day: 35 pounds of trash

When Seminole Middle School Builders go down to the sea, they aren’t chasing marlin or casting for tuna. When the Florida students weigh their catch of the day, they record between 25 and 35 pounds of junk.

Everything from shoes to sunglasses to broken lawn chairs is discovered—and disposed of properly—when the Builders Club participates in a Florida-wide Coastal Cleanup project. The event occurs twice each year.

“We meet at our school early in the morning on both the fall and spring cleanup days,” says past faculty advisor Derrick Lyons. “Teachers and parents drive the students to Indian Rocks Beach, where all supplies are provided by the Coastal Cleanup Committee. Gloves and bags are provided, but many students choose to bring their own.”

The committee also feeds the students, serving hot dogs and hamburgers.

“Everyone who passed us on the beach that day would stop and express their gratitude for all we did,” Derrick says, who adds that the club also designs cards for military veterans, delivers Valentine’s Day cards for the elderly, and reads to elementary school students.