Learning lessons while cleaning up Hernando

WEEKI WACHEE (FOX 13) - Students from Weeki Wachee High School are on a scavenger hunt for trash at Weeki Wachee Preserve in Hernando County.  The teens are part of the school's National Honor Society.

"Just trying to clean-up the environment the parks and beaches in the Hernando County, make it more of a beautiful place because these parks are really littered around here," explained student Austin Wright.

This is the third community project for these students. Earlier, this year they picked up trash at Jenkins Creek and Linda Pedersen parks.

"I think it’s important because we need to instill a sense of responsibility into our younger generation to protect our surface and ground water,” offered teacher Susann Braden.

The students are learning important lessons in the process.

"I never knew that certain things, that certain plastics could harm animals in the water and on land until we came out here and cleaned it ourselves," said student Hailey Isaksen.

The group has picked up almost a 1,000 pounds of trash and debris.

"If you are not taking care of it, eventually it’s just going to be gone,” senior Sebastian Cifuentes observed. “Everybody has to do their part little by little."

Their effort is influencing others to lend a helping hand.

"As we were walking this morning, a couple saw us and they asked for a trash bag to help us, and like, that's our goal, to get the whole community involved," added student Cassidy Stachowiah.

The students have another project schedule for later this year.