Students from five Boston, Massachusetts area high schools have taken on the responsibility of sorting recyclables at the Wentworth Institute of Technology’s recycling center. The center recycles plastic, paper, cans, and bottles, all of which must be sorted before being sent out. The students are member of the STRIVE Citicycle Program, which hires and trains high school students with disabilities.
Every morning, the students arrive at WIT, where they work to collect recycle bins from 900 dorm rooms and 480 offices. These services provide a great number of benefits, from helping the environment to teaching the kids important life skills to the value of a paycheck.
The STRIVE Citicycle Program was launched 20 years ago with six students recycling 25-26 tonnes of trash. Currently, 78 students are enrolled in the program which recycles more than 100 tonnes of waste.
“This program is basically designed for students to transition to the world of work. All of the students we have here have a disability,” said Richard Hacunda, of Boston Public Schools. “So what we are really trying to do is impart social skills that they need in order to be a productive human.”
“I think it’s wonderful and thoughtful. I think we are being blessed for some reason, and I think it’s a good thing to do,” student Stephan Zaki Wright said.
“These kids have disabilities. We interact them with our students, and the kids get to see each side of each other,” said WIT’s Bob Ferro.
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