Way to Go! Sachem student starts recycling program
Kayla Zatyk, holding the banner, is a third-grader at Lynwood Avenue Elementary School who organized a project to bring recycling bins to her school. Credit: Sachem Central School District
A Sachem student’s lunch discussion with friends about plastic pollution affecting sea turtles led her to create a recycling program at her school.
Kayla Zatyk, a third-grader at Lynwood Avenue Elementary School in Farmingville, helped to launch the program last spring after collecting more than 300 signatures from fellow students and teachers. Lynwood Avenue is in the Sachem Central School District.
Kayla, in collaboration with building Principal Catherine Dulovic, sent the signatures to Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, who brought about a dozen bins to the school.
“My friends and I were talking at lunch, and one of them said some turtles are dying, so I figured I should start to get recycling bins,” said Kayla, 8. “I want to try to save the environment.”
During Romaine’s visit, Lynwood Avenue students also learned about the Town of Brookhaven’s recycling program and items that are created from recycled materials, Kayla said.
“I’m very, very proud of her,” said her father, Wayne. “I couldn’t believe what she did, because I know when I was in second grade, this was probably the last thing on my mind. I was proud that she and her friends came up with this idea, and she saw it right to the end.”
Kayla is also involved in gymnastics and studies dance at Elegant Dance Studio in Medford.
— MICHAEL R. EBERT
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
