Manitou Springs Elementary kids clean up Fountain Creek

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Hundreds of elementary students got out of the classroom today and helped clean up Fountain Creek. 

350 students and teachers from Manitou Springs Elementary School put down the pencils and put on gloves to pick up trash along Fountain Creek.

Lisa Mussi, third grade teacher said, “We're really excited to be doing this and being a part of the community and showing that we care about what's going on and that the kids know that what they do matters even to the littlest impact of their fruit rollup and their trash from that can matter to Fountain Creek."

Creek Week clean up began 10 years ago when community members realized the need for a more organized cleanup program.

“It's a big part of our city. Fountain Creek runs right through the middle and right under businesses in town. So, our city was built around it and it's important that they learn how to take care of it so that it is healthy,” Mussi said.

5th graders hiked around two miles while learning about the impact trash can have on our environment.

“So they even notice things like the buses idle near a storm drain and they're concerned. Well, what if the oil drips there? It'll get into the storm drain, which will get into Fountain Creek. So, how can we help that? So they're coming up with solutions to problems that we may not even have noticed that first,” Mussi said.

The trash the Manitou Elementary students picked up will be put into an 'M' - called a litter letter.

The 'M' will join other Pikes Peak Region organizations to form the word 'impactful' for an art installation. 

The temporary installation will serve as a community commitment to environmental preservation.

Fountain Creek Watershed is hosting a 10-year celebration of Creek Week tomorrow, October 4th.

It starts at 4:30p.m. at the America The Beautiful Park.