Trash is a Problem! Building Students’ Connection to Their School Community

The project described in this article focused on the school’s environment and students’ connections with the school. The project took place in a large, comprehensive high school with eight 12th grade students, one with intellectual disabilities, three with learning disabilities, two with autism spectrum disorders, and two with health impairments. Students learned to collect data, use an ArcGIS map for analysis, brainstormed and carried out methods to bring awareness about garbage on school grounds to the school community (using posters, announcements, and incentive points), and compared garbage quantity after a week of awareness. Students gained insight into how technology can be used to define a problem, strategies to communicate important issues, and the value of collecting and using data for decision-making. The strengths of this project were engaging students in an authentic school-based investigation while being introduced to new technology tools, learning about the impact they can have on their school, and increasing their connections to the schoolwide community.