School year ends for 4th graders with Special Lessons…

  • Trashgathering - an activity where they found cash, prizes, or just trash
    Trashgathering - an activity where they found cash, prizes, or just trash
  • Winners of the "best" waste free lunches are pictured here with Debbie Shahan, WIP Coordinator/KSSB Board Director (l-r): Jayla Estrada, 1st place; Emma Whitley, 2nd place; and Harper Brown, 3rd place.
    Winners of the "best" waste free lunches are pictured here with Debbie Shahan, WIP Coordinator/KSSB Board Director (l-r): Jayla Estrada, 1st place; Emma Whitley, 2nd place; and Harper Brown, 3rd place.
  • These students are participating in the Basket activity. The basket activity is making a game from repurposed trash. Papers are wadded into balls; the basket is a cut plastic gallon. The students, team up and work together to race their opponents in a race to get more baskets made then the opposing team.
    These students are participating in the Basket activity. The basket activity is making a game from repurposed trash. Papers are wadded into balls; the basket is a cut plastic gallon. The students, team up and work together to race their opponents in a race to get more baskets made then the opposing team.
  • The students are participating in the Recycle Race. The recycle race is a race where the student picks up an item at the starting line, races down to the other end where containers for trash, recycle, compost, and repurpose/donate are staged and the student determines while racing down where the item goes, putting it in the corresponding container. There are also volunteers by the containers to agree with the student or correct. The student then races back to tag the next person in line.
    The students are participating in the Recycle Race. The recycle race is a race where the student picks up an item at the starting line, races down to the other end where containers for trash, recycle, compost, and repurpose/donate are staged and the student determines while racing down where the item goes, putting it in the corresponding container. There are also volunteers by the containers to agree with the student or correct. The student then races back to tag the next person in line.
  • City Manager, Scott Edmonson addressing the students
    City Manager, Scott Edmonson addressing the students

    A group of Keep San Saba Beautiful Commission (KSSB) volunteers conducted “Waste In Place” lessons for local San Saba Elementary Fourth Grade Students for four consecutive weeks this past month of May. Presenters and preparers included Sarah Saldivar, Cissy Williams, Debbie Shahan, Lucia Martinez, Kathleen Hawkins, Rhonda Killion, Marcie Butler, Sandra Vaughn, and Gale Ivy. Fourth grade teachers Martha Thurman, Kristi Murphy, and Courtney Hinkel assisted in the classroom lessons on “All the Way to the Ocean,” “How Aquifers Work for Us,” and “Waterways Pollution Solution.”

    The final lesson, “The Integrated Approach,” was held in Mill Pond Park at the Joe Ragsdale Pavilion where students picked up trash for prizes, participated in a Waste Relay Game, and competed for the best “waste free” lunch. City Manager Scott Edmonson joined the group for the morning, giving some appropriate pointers on “putting waste in its place!” SSISD teacher assistant, Dana Wells, drove the bus and kept everyone in line.

    Some enthusiastic fourth graders happily found a few dollar bills, DQ ice-cream coupons, and little toys in the trash pickup, and the winners of the “best” waste free lunches were Jayla Estrada—1st place, Emma Whitley—2nd place, and Harper Brown—3rd place. They were awarded Dairy Queen gift cards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places; other winners received Keep San Saba Beautiful T-shirts.

    The lessons for this project came from the learning kit prepared by the Keep Texas Beautiful Commission called “Waste in Place.” Residents in the city limits can also request, at City Hall, a rolling blue recycling bin to collect recyclable materials for pickup on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month. Recycling keeps our landfills free of materials that can be used to make new items.

    Students were urged to participate with their families and classmates next fall in the biannual city-wide clean-up day sponsored by the Keep San Saba Beautiful Commission and the City of San Saba. Giveaways, raffles, and prizes will be awarded at this event. Thanks to everyone who does a good job at “Keeping San Saba Beautiful!”

    The mission of Keep San Saba Beautiful is to educate and engage citizens to take responsibility for improving their community environment. For more information on KSSB, contact the KSSB office located inside the Visitor Center.