There’s no easy way to say this.

Oh wait… Yes there is. Let’s pick up our crap.

EHS is one of the greatest schools in the state of Missouri. We have the type of faculty who go out of their way to know each and every student and make them feel comfortable– the type of faculty that pulls students out of class to tell them how much they appreciate their hard work.

It’s the people that generally make Eureka a great place to live and learn.

I would say about ten percent of us, however, need to change our behavior. The way we present ourselves as a school should be a reflection of our character and our priorities. When people visit us, I’d hate for the first thing they see to be a water bottle in the creek under the bridge.

Please, please, please stop throwing trash on the ground. By ignoring the trash and recycle bins, people are showing blatant disrespect for the school and the environment. This isn’t an epidemic sweeping through the halls, but it’s prevalent enough to notice on a quick stroll across the parking lot.

Taxpayers spend nearly $5 million each year for MoDOT to clean up roadside litter. Not only does this trash end up in rivers, forests and roads, but it ends up wasting valuable tax money that could be going towards projects bettering our schools, fixing our infrastructure or creating new jobs.

Empty Quik Trip cups, random wrappers and loose papers are just three types of waste that could easily be disposed of instead of being left on the ground to rot.

It’s embarrassing.

Some organizations do a fantastic job of keeping the school tidy. NHS has an Environmental Outreach that cleans up the streams in Eureka, and StuCo has a Campus Beautification group that plants flowers and waters plants around the school.

Organizations like these are one of the many reasons why I love EHS so much.

My house is technically in Lafayette territory. Jack, my younger brother, goes there, and I can get to their campus in less than five minutes. Despite this convenience, I took advantage of the limited choice program in order to be a Wildcat.

EHS is my home, and I intend on treating it as such. I wouldn’t leave gum on the bottom of the sofa in my living room, so I won’t leave gum under the desk in a classroom.

Yesterday my schedule looked something like this:

• I arrived at school at 7:50 a.m. and stayed there until around 3:10 p.m.
• Once the parking lot cleared, I showed up at Soetebier Park for Rugby practice and worked out with my team until 5:30 p.m.
• After that concluded, I drove back to the high school for Mr. EHS dance practice in the aerobics room until 8:00 p.m.
• Finally, I walked in the garage door of my house at 8:30 p.m. to eat dinner and start homework.

That’s roughly 13 hours that I spent in my home-away-from-home. It’s normal that I spend over 50 hours per week sitting in class or participating in extracurriculars. I am invested in this community.

I get it. If a student is not involved, it’s easy for them to clock in and clock out. Come at 8:16 a.m. and leave at 3:05 p.m. Seven hours. Even if that’s the case, I find it important that everyone takes pride in their school and loves being a Wildcat.

We can start doing this by taking the initiative to make sure our trash ends up in the right location.

Next time I see a gatorade bottle lying in the middle of a flower bed, I’ll make sure to do my part and pick it up.

I hope you do, too.