CWA’s sixth grade program picked up a big award this week.  After eight years and 1,266 hours of service caring for Chambers Creek, Pierce County has selected the teachers and students as a 2010 Youth Group of the Year.  “You are being recognized for your special dedication and commitment to make your community a better place to live, through your exceptional volunteer efforts,” wrote County Executive Pat McCarthy in a letter to Alisha Bright, the sixth grade team leader.  The Tarriers will be honored at the County’s Volunteer Recognition Brunch on March 20.

Back in 2001, CWA sixth graders first tackled the issue of removing tons of garbage that had been dumped along one of the trails leading down to Chambers Creek over a period of many years.  The creek runs through CWA’s campus and the area in need of help was just a half-mile from the school.  Those students, members of the graduating class of 2007, are now juniors in college.

By 2004, CWA students had removed approximately 3,500 pounds of garbage, including tires, washing machines, televisions and countless cans and bottles.  Once the garbage was removed and vehicle access to the trail was eliminated, putting a stop to future illegal dumping, the students turned their energy to removing English Ivy.  Over the next two years, students removed approximately 2,700 pounds of ivy, an invasive species affecting the wildlife habitat quality in the canyon.

Caring for Chambers Creek is more than a community service project, it’s an integral part of CWA’s sixth grade science curriculum which examines biology and sustainability.  Two or three times a year, students make the half-mile walk from campus to the Chambers Creek Canyon to spend two to three hours on the project.

“The CWA sixth grade has unofficially adopted this area of the canyon and over the years developed a strong connection with Chambers Creek through their tradition of taking action to improve our community,” wrote Stephanie Leisle, an environmental educator who nominated CWA for the award.  “Each new group of students sees the impact of their peers who came before them and in turn gets excited about their own contributions.  Their consistency and dedication is not only saving the County money with their clean-up efforts, they are also helping to preserve valuable stream riparian habitat.”

Middle School Head Brynn Starr, who helped create this project while teaching sixth grade, is particularly pleased with the way in which the service project connects with the Middle School science program.  “More than 540 students have worked at Chambers Creek,” she says.  “They really understand how humans and invasive species impact their local environment.  Many get the opportunity to go back as eighth graders to continue helping with clean-up efforts and they feel a strong connection to the neighborhood around the school.”

This is the second community service award CWA has received in recent weeks.  The Salvation Army recognized the contributions of Upper School students in February.