Students at Horace Mann Elementary are refusing single-use plastic! For the entire month of May, students will be taking part in a 30-day #RefuseSUP (Single-Use Plastic) challenge. Inspired from award winning producer, underwater photographer, author, and motivational speaker, Annie Crawley, the challenge is a way for students, families and the community to come together to spread awareness about single-use plastic. 

Each family at Horace Mann has been emailed a calendar and asked to refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle plastic materials. The awareness campaign is one in which Annie is passionate about. “As a professional youth speaker at schools, I transport students on an imaginary dive around the world while encouraging an understanding of life lessons about respect, responsibility, trust and character” she says. “I encourage students to face personal fears, express their imagination, breathe differently and think before acting.” The character lessons in the calendar include such actions as carrying reusable grocery and produce bags to the store, refusing straws at restaurants, composting coffee grounds, asking dentists to hand out bamboo toothbrushes and becoming aware of products with microbeads in them. 

Spearheading the movement is 5th grade teacher Jen Alexander. “Our 5th graders have been working hard all year on projects related to this topic. These student leaders have been utilizing technology by creating their own videos to share with the entire school and inventing machines to help clean the ocean. The hope is that the campaign brings attention and awareness to the community of Redmond and to the Lake Washington School District” says Ms. Alexander.  

In a culmination of events, on Friday, June 8th “Ocean Annie” Crawley will be heading to Horace to give a presentation and help the students of Horace Mann celebrate their hard work and World Ocean’s Day. Waste Management of Redmond will also be appearing with a recycle truck and handing out goodies for the kids.

For more information about Annie Crawley, please visit her web site at: www.anniecrawley.com.