By the ACT Youth Council*
Alexandria, VA – The ACT Youth Council, of ACT for Alexandria, is a program designed by youth for youth with the purpose of providing Alexandria students the decision-making power and funding to address key issues within the community.
This year, 13 students from various high schools were selected to participate in philanthropy initiatives to improve their community. As part of the curriculum, members were asked to participate in a Discovery Project to identify and explore major issues challenging youth within their community.
The members decided to address how the divide between East End and West End affects youth in Alexandria. One of three areas the group studied were key environmental factors affecting them, and here are their recommendations:
1) Put in place an environmental program beginning in elementary schools through Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) to educate youth.
2) ACPS must provide a unified approach for recycling at each school.
3) The City of Alexandria should pick-up glass at residential homes for recycling instead of expecting residents to transport it themselves.
4) Glass recycling centers are not equally accessible to both the East and West End of Alexandria, making it harder for some residents to have access to this type of recycling.
For more information about the ACT Council and their findings and their findings, contact Brandi Yee, Chief Program Officer at ACT for Alexandria, [email protected].
*Katrina Chen, Will Gomez-Palacious, Alessandra Guevara, Michaela Islas, Alyssa Laluces, Amel Mohdali, Danielle Pascale, Kate Radt, Zahra Rahimi, Eliana Rougle, Indigo Samson-Bryant, Diarra Sangare, and Abigail Tzeggai
