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New Cycle Of Recycling

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By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

In The Loop

Published: October 18, 2008

DADE CITY - James Irvin Education Center vocational teacher Gary Bragg wants to teach his students more than just how to build something.

He wants to teach them how to make the future better through recycling.

This year, his students have built a recycling container and turned used tires into flower pots.

"Our landfills are getting out of control," Bragg said. "I figured by teaching the students to recycle, we might help save the world."

Students are tackling the job one used tire at a time in what's known as a "repurposing" effort.

"We take the old tires, and we cut them and turn them inside out," said Bragg. "We then make a flower pot out of them. We can make them look like a clay pot or we can paint them with different designs. The more we work with the tires, the more uses we find for them."

Tenth-grader Patrick Acosta, 14, said he has learned a lot from Bragg.

"I have installed crown molding at my house," Acosta said.

He's enjoying the recycling project, too.

"I think it is fun learning to recycle. If we recycle enough we can help the planet out. I recycle all the time, and so does my mom."

The tires come from junk yards or from people donating them to the school. Bragg said the students can use the larger tires from cars or smaller tires from tractors.

Tenth-grader Austin Cheek, 15, said making the pots from recycled tires is fun. The best part is cutting the tires with power tools. The class has inspired him to do home improvement projects, as well.

The school, which is the east side alternative school for Pasco County, is using the flower pots to decorate its butterfly garden and pond.

"We tried to make this a relaxing place to sit and read," Bragg said. "It seems to have a calming effect on the students. We are currently working on building a bench from the materials left over from making the bridge."

This fall, the students will plant a vegetable garden in some of the recycled tire pots.

Bragg said his students also recently helped to build a recycling container that will hold plastic bottles waiting to be recycled for the Starkey Park Education Center in New Port Richey.

"If they left the bags of recycled material out, then the animals would get in," Bragg said. "We built a cage with a lid, so that the bags with the material could be dropped inside. The project probably took about two weeks."

Bragg said he thinks his students learn better through hands-on activities.

"I think the students are more interested when they have a chance to experience things themselves with their hands," Bragg said. "They get to be creative, and it is very challenging. Most of these kids need to stay engaged in order for them to learn something. I am really proud of their accomplishments this year."

Ninth-grader Robert Owens, 16, said he has learned more than just a few skills while taking this class.

"I learned how to do wood-crafting, painting, sculpting and how to use proper safety techniques," Owens said. "I like Mr. Bragg because he taught me respect. When I realized I was 16 and still in ninth grade, some teachers helped me to see I needed to straighten my life out. Last year, I was in (in-school suspension) almost every day, but this year I have not had one referral yet."

The school is looking for donations of used tires and is also selling the tire pots. For information, call (352) 524-5700.

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