October 29, 2000
Herald-Standard
Environmental endeavor
LH students clean up section of Redstone
Creek
By Kris Schiffbauer
Herald-Standard Staff Writer
The teen-agers in Laurel Highlands High School's watershed education class and Ecology Club hope to motivate others to improve the environment by adopting a trash-clogged section of Redstone Creek.
Donning work gloves and wading boots, a couple dozen students trudged around the creek for several hours Saturday to pick up what they could of unknown years' worth of discarded mattresses, shopping carts, plastic toys and other refuse.
"We want to set a good example for future generations," said Heidi Frank.
The cleanup marked their official adoption of the creek through PA CleanWays, which is best known for promoting the Adopt-a-Highway program.
"We're cleaning up Redstone Creek because it's a mess," said Virginia Pavlak.
"It's polluted with acid mine drainage, sewage and garbage," said James Chambers.
Regardless of who made the mess, Brandon Mahoney said he and his classmates are committed to cleaning it up and keeping it that way.
"It's like our baby now," said Angela Constantine.
About 25 students combined from the watershed education class taught by Kelly Kruper, and the members of the high school Ecology Club worked on the section of the creek off Hoggsett Lane and near the high school.
Kruper, John Piwowar and George Bozek, a Franklin Township supervisor, accompanied the students on the cleanup as members of the newly established Greater Redstone Watershed Board. Kruper said the voluntary board is able to help sponsor such a project through a Growing Greener Program grant from Gov. Tom Ridge.
They also gained help disposing of the trash from North Union Township Supervisor Tom Kumor.
The students visited the creek beforehand to get an idea of the damage. Sara Patterson said it was obvious from buried shopping carts that the trash was there for some time.
They said they found no amphibians or macroinvertebrates there, although carp and snapping turtles have been able to adapt to the environment.
"People fish there for fun," said D.J. John. "You don't want to eat it, though."
John, who lives near the creek, said the students tested the water and expect to retest it afterward to see if there is a change in the clarity or chemical paramters of the water.
Bethany Sanner said the site will have an improved appearance through the trash removal, but the students expect to get similar readings afterward on the pH and oxygen levels, because the water source will remain unchanged.
The students said the pollution seems to begin in the creek along Route 51 near Smock and comes from abandoned coal mining.
"The mine was filled up with water, and because of hydraulic pressure, it has nowhere to go but in the creek," said Michael Hardison.
Kruper said the class chose the particular section of the creek because their progress should be visible to litterbugs.
Asked why they decided to take on such a project, Frank asked a question of her own.
"If our water is not cleaned up, what will we have to drink?"
The students said they want to teach the public a lesson or two through their efforts.
"I hope people will respect the environment more," said Megan Keener, who lives near the creek.
"I just hope people become aware of what they do whenever they litter," said Lauren Slampak.
Matt Garrett is workiing on a Web site to keep the public informed, although it is still under construction.
The students said they will go back to the creek, and they have planned another cleanup day for sometime in the spring where Redstone Creek flows near Phillips.
Kruper said the creek, which originates in Hopwood and eventually empties into the Monongahela River, is an important waterway in Fayette County.
"All of our water drains into it," said Kruper.
"You can't just throw your trash in the creek. People throw stuff there and it goes out of sight and out of mind."
Kruper said as adoptees of the creek, her watershed education classes and Ecology Club members to come are obligated by PA CleanWays to the site for at least two years and will keep monitoring its condition.
The watershed education class is new this year at Laurel Highlands High School as an elective now offered in 10th through 12th grades each semester or twice a year.
Kruper said the class is limited to 16 students at a time because of the nature of its activities, like trips to the local water treatment plant and Ohiopyle.
The Ecology Club has a continuing yearly project. The members sell poinsettas for Christmas as a fund-raiser to support landscaping the students do on the school campus.
