We’re talking trash, and we’re talking about the high schoolers who pulled it from the park. Their effort was a ton of help to the environment.

More than a ton.

The Friends of Lake Accotink Park (FLAP), in cooperation with the Young FLAPers, have established a High School Trash Challenge, and they’re inviting area schools to take part in a quarterly Trash Challenge showdown. FLAP hosted the first quarterly Trash Challenge: A High School Showdown, on October 17, 2021. Three schools accepted the great challenge: Annandale, Edison, and Lewis High Schools. Volunteers from the three schools combed the 497 acres of Lake Accotink Park in Springfield, Va., and collected an incredible estimated 2,500 pounds of trash in two hours.

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A big thank you from FLAP and the Fairfax County Park Authority goes to all the volunteers, and congratulations go out to the volunteers of John R. Lewis High School for winning the showdown. The volunteers representing Lewis High School won a pizza party for their team. Team captain Edward Carino said, “Overall, my peers and I enjoyed the experience and would love to come back for more! Thanks again FLAP!”

Carino and his team will have a chance to defend their title in the next Trash Challenge Showdown on January 17, 2022. It’s open to any school that would like to help clean up the park.

If your high school is interested in taking on the High School Trash Challenge, email youngflappers@flapaccotink.org. FLAP would love to have more teams compete in the next High School Showdown!

Author Yasmine Marrero is the Young FLAPers Director