Marla Mahoner’s fifth grade class at Maritime Academy found plenty of environmental issues about which to be concerned. With the help of criteria based decision making strategies, the class whittled their options to an unlikely environmental threat at Maritime: soap dispensers.
Soap dispensers in each bathroom at Maritime did not have lids, and some people put various objects into the dispensers, making them unfit for use. Because of this many students in the school were not washing their hands properly, which enhanced germ transmition and lead to illness. Students started monitoring the bathrooms and began a letter campaign to school administrators which described the bathroom conditions and asked administrators to install proper soap dispensers.
Students followed up the letter by choosing class representatives to speak to members of the administration on behalf of their peers. After eight weeks, the hard work and effort of these students paid off; new soap dispensers were installed in every bathroom throughout the school. The students’ last step was to write letters thanking the principal and administrators for their help. The students were thrilled about the success of their project and even surprised how much they learned upon reflection. Not only did they improve the quality of hygiene at their school, but they also learned how to write
persuasive essays, complete action plans, and some even gained skills in
public speaking.