Keep Polk Beautiful

 Great American Cleanup Rockmart 2010! Van Wert Elementary School Outdoor Classroom- Mrs. Kristi Hunt, gifted teacher at Van Wert had a vision...  A place where students could go outside to learn as they had before at their old school. But their beautiful new school was barren and bleak outside.  Not inviting at all! 

But...   under her direction, and wih the help of many who donated time, products and services such as principal Sherri Cox, Tom Reilly, Bill Byrne, landscape designer, Georgia Power, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Kiwanis, Optimist, Lions, Van Wert PTA, Buy Low, and many others, we took a totally empty area between buildings and turned it into a vision that Mrs. Hunt had for an area to be used for outdoor learning of all types! 

The 5th grade gifted students at Van Wert collected information from all grades as to what they'd like to have in the Outdoor Classroom. Keep Polk Beautiful introduced them to landscape designer, Bill Byrne, who donated his services to work with the students to design the area based on students desires and what would work best in that area. (For example, students wanted a sunflowers, but there would not be enough hours of sunlight.)

Finally May 1 arrives and the work begins!

Kawna McCrickard- Rockmart Kiwanis volunteer                                    Mrs. K Hunt- Van Wert teacher whose vision inspired the outdoor classroom!

A little more sod, a few dedicated bricks, benches, and tables, and it'll be done! 

A big THANK YOU to our GAC sponsors like Nestle, Glad, and Troy-bit, Wal-Mart, and many more who provided water, trash bags, plants and much more!

 BELOW: The Rockmart High School KPB Environmental Club, sponsored by Keep Polk Beautiful, took on a mammoth project of graffiti on the Silver Comet Trail in the Van Wert area, under the direction of Trailranger Danny Ashley and teacher sponsor, Shea Floyd. With help from Sherwin Williams Paint in Cedartown,  they were able to make great strides, and plan to go back before school is out to finish!

BELOW:  April 11 was the Great American Cleanup Rockmart event, held at the old Rockmart High School.  Groups and individuals gathered to clean up a prescribed route, then to enjoy a hot dog lunch together.