Since the cafeteria closure, students now crowd in the main hallway during lunch and breaks—and unfortunately, so does their trash. A FAC (Facility Advisory Council) meeting was held where Robert Pirazzini, BVH’s Italian teacher, spoke out against the trash on campus. 

Littering is not just a school issue; it is a widespread problem seen in cities, malls and public spaces everywhere. Due to recent construction of the quad, the main hallway has been the primary destination for students to hang out during lunch and nutrition break. With the quad gone, trash has shifted toward the main hallway since students are confined to a smaller space.

“I noticed the trash [in the main hallway] increased more due to the construction. On my way to and from class, I walk down our hallway and I see all this food and waste on the ground. The school is looking a little messy compared to what I am used to,” Pirazzini said.  

Pirazzini describes himself as a very proud Baron who deeply cares for the students of BVH, since he has been teaching here for 28 years. He expresses his frustration with this problem, as BVH has put multiple trash cans around campus to prevent just that. So, who does this issue affect the most?

“All of us have to walk down the hallway and see our school being disrespected and not treated  well. I think that is on all of us. Think about it, if you go home and your house is all messy, [you would clean it],” Pirazzini said. “It is nice to have a space that is your own and [that is clean], because this is my second home. It is your second home too.”

BVH is the second home of all the students and staff. Seeing all the trash around the school makes it feel messy. When students see trash or food waste on the floors they try to avoid it. Stepping on a mushy piece of fruit or stepping on gum can ruin anyone’s day. 

“This generation has less of a care for the environment. I have heard people say why bother to throw your stuff away because the janitors are there for a reason. So, I think there is a lot of ignorance in this generation and even in our parents and grandparents too. There [is] carelessness and ignorance for the environment. It’s an idea and view that’s been spreading,” said BVH junior Kylie John. 

In a campus as large as BVH’s, ensuring that everyone is properly disposing of their trash is essential to keeping it clean. However, this mentality is not shared by every single student, making it hard to maintain a trash-free environment. But, why exactly is this something important to students and staff alike? 

“I think it is important to have a clean campus because not only does [staying respectful matter], but a clean campus [also gives] you a sense of responsibility, which in high school is very important to develop. [Being respectful] in general to the staff, to the environment and to the campus itself, [is] why it is so important to keep the campus [clean],” John said. 

The right thing to do is throw trash away into trash cans out of respect for the school and the staff that look after the campus. By keeping the campus clean, students are assuming a new responsibility that can integrate with their academic lives.

“I do not want to live in a place where there is a bunch of trash. I also think that we are an old school and we do not have any control over how the new buildings are, what the facilities look like but the least we can take care of it as a community by picking up our own trash,” said IB and P.E. Dance teacher, Christine Timmons..

For many teachers like Timmons, the school is more than a workplace, it is a community she takes pride in. While most staff and all students may not have control over construction or aging buildings, keeping campus clean is something every student and staff member can contribute to. Timmons added  that students should be more careful with their drinks and food. It is not just wrappers when talking about the trash on campus, but  also spilled drinks and squished food all over, especially in the main hallway. Spilled drinks and food leave stains on the floor making the school look even worse and harder to clean up than wrappers.

“From [my experience] being a mom, [I say], just pick up your trash. There’s plenty of trash cans all over campus, and I could never imagine myself throwing trash on the floor,” Timmons said.

Timmons uses this comparison to illustrate how frustrating it is to have trash everywhere. Students and staff feel the same emotions when there is trash all over campus.

“I like to say that,‘If you don’t feel like throwing your trash away, what makes you think somebody else wants to pick up your trash,” Timmons said.