Steel globe aids pupils’ efforts in recycling plan

By Denise Dick

Boardman Steel created the 100-pound, 7-foot-high steel-and-wire globe.

POLAND — Pupils at Poland North Elementary School are cleaning up the Earth one aluminum can at a time.

Last year, the school won a recycling contest by collecting cans for recycling.

“There’s nothing that says a school can’t win twice,” said Principal Michael Masucci.

He enlisted the help of Boardman Steel to develop a unique recycling receptacle.

“It was Mike’s idea to come up with a globe for the kids to put recyclables into,” said Mike Gromada, shop superintendent at Boardman Steel.

The company sculpted and delivered a 7-foot-high, 100-pound steel-and-wire-mesh globe tilted 22.5 degrees, like the world tilts on its axis. Workers placed the creation in the school’s courtyard.

A hole in the top allows pupils to pitch in their aluminum cans.

Masucci said he called Boardman Steel owner David Deibel, knowing that the company is involved in projects in schools throughout the area.

The community is asked to collect and bring their recyclable aluminum cans to the school to contribute to the effort. Friday is the deadline.

Neither the shop superintendent nor the principal could put an exact number on the globe’s can capacity, but it’s about 75 percent full.

“I would say tens of thousands of cans,” Masucci said.

Masucci said that pupils in Linda Resch’s first-grade class have taken the contest very seriously. Resch lined her young charges up single file Tuesday afternoon, allowing each one to pitch a can from a garbage bag-full dropped off at the school.

“It keeps the Earth clean,” explained Alyson Santangelo, 7, of recycling’s importance after tossing her can into the giant globe.

Alyssa Jenkins, 6, said she contributed cans from home while in kindergarten and plans to do the same this year.

“It cleans the Earth,” she said.

Bryce Edison, 6, also plans to bring in cans from his family at home.

Recycling is important “to keep the Earth clean,” Bryce said.

The school plans to use the sculpture even after the contest expires.

“We’ll use it for Earth Day,” the principal said.

denise_dick@vindy.com