Students, Parents from Ikego Elementary Assist in Zushi Beach Clean-Up

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Charles Oki, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West Det. Japan

ZUSHI, Japan (NNS) -- Students from Ikego Elementary School worked with students from Zushi Elementary School to clean up garbage and other natural debris on Zushi Beach June 9.

As forward-deployed naval forces; Sailors and their families stationed in Japan are expected to be ambassadors in their host nation. This project provided the children living at Ikego the chance to get to know their host-nation neighbors, as well as learn about the importance in maintaining the environment - both locally and globally.

"I feel that getting the kids together is a great chance for them to see that they aren't the only ones in this community," said Legalman 1st Class (SW/AW) Marcella Begay, a To'Hajiilee, N.M., native assigned to the regional legal service office. "These kids are all a part of the Zushi community and I think it's important for them to see that they share this area with everyone else."

"We only have one planet and I feel that it's important that we teach our kids now, when they are young, of why they should take care of the environment; eventually they are going to be in charge of taking care of the planet," said Begay.

More than 300 first through fourth grade students, parents and teachers spent the morning picking up trash and vegetation that washed up on the shore. The event was sponsored by the Zushi Beach Club and Zushi Marine Association, both non-profit organizations that take care of the beach.

"It's wonderful to see the American and Japanese students coming out and cleaning the beach together," said Ryuichi Hirai, mayor of Zushi City. "The kids seem very happy to be helping the environment and doing their part in keeping the beach clean."

Following the clean-up, students brought their trash to a large tarp where they dumped it out to see exactly how much was collected. Environmental experts from Zushi city taught the students about the negative effects of beach pollution and biodegradation.

"Today the students got to learn the importance of maintaining the environment," said Ikego Elementary School Principal Scott Finlay. "Especially with the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the students have been learning a lot about keeping the earth clean. With this beach clean up, they can get hands on and not only learn about what garbage will do to the beaches and ocean, but they also get to make a difference."

The Ikego area was originally used by the Japanese in 1937 as an ammunition store house and was opened by the U.S. Navy as a family housing complex in April 1996. 210 of the 710 acres of Ikego are home to 854 housing units and is where approximately 3,400 Sailors and family members call home.