Though the local county high schools are often rivals when it comes to sports, lately they have been working together on a project that will help make their community a better place.
Tonight, at the Hampton High School football game, the Carter County Clean Teens will unveil a new recycling bin that has been designed and built by students at two of the county’s high schools.
The project was a joint effort between the Clean Teens, the Carter County Sheriff’s Department which sponsors the Clean Teens, the Carter County School System and the Tennessee Department of Transportation which provided funding for the project through the state’s Litter Grant Program.
“This project has been in the works since school began in August,” said CCSD Deputy Tonya Range, who serves as a School Resource Officer and one of the program sponsors for the Clean Teens.
Before school started, CCSD Lt. Mike Fraley, who is the supervisor for the school resource officers, approached Range about having portable recycling bins for glass, aluminum cans and plastic bottles that could be used at school sporting events. Once school started, Range began coordinating the project with the schools and the other agencies involved.
Students at Hampton and Happy Valley High Schools designed and built the special bin.
Hampton High students Caitlyn Carrico and Hayleigh Mercer, who are in the drafting and architecture program at the school taught by Daniel Arnett, drafted the plans for the bin.
“They also made a 3-D prototype in the 3-D printer in the class,” Range said. “Hayleigh is our newest Clean Teen member, by the way,” Range added with pride.
From Hampton, the project then made its way to Happy Valley for fabrication by the students in Tim Carr’s welding class.
The students who worked on the construction of the new recycling bin were Alex Woodby, Dakota Grindstaff, Corey Morefield and Dalton Fair. Woodby and Fair attend Happy Valley while Grindstaff and Morefield are Hampton students who attend the welding class offered at Happy Valley.
“This recycling receptacle is the first of its kind and, for now, will be trailered to different sporting events,” Range said. “Its debut will be at the Hampton playoff game Friday night.”
“In the future, with the available funding, we would love to have one at each school,” she added. “I think this is a great project to help keep Carter County beautiful and maybe even raise money to fund other projects.”
In addition to the work done by the students and the cooperation between the Sheriff’s Department and the county school system, Range said a local business has also been instrumental to the project as well.
“Lowe’s Home Improvement in Elizabethton generously donated the trailer on which the receptacle will be transported to the football games,” Range said. “Lowe’s has been great to work with, the management at the store is very community minded and so willing to help.”
“It has been a pleasure to work with each agency with everyone so willing to help with a project to benefit the community,” she added.
In addition to the new recycling bin debuting today, Range said the Clean Teens will be taking part in the Elizabethton Christmas Parade next weekend.
“Look for the Carter County Polar Express,” she said. “Our Clean Teens will be handing out bells with a recycling message to all those who truly believe.”