Recycle Olympics offers good, green fun
DAVID R. MILLION Assistant Editor
10/15/2003
Tulsa World (Final Home Edition), Page ZM1 of Community

East Central youth committee co-chair Moises Echeverria, 18, left, and "Big Art Project" captain Amanda Ruelas, 17, practice their techniques for the tricycle race, which will be part of Thursday's Recycle Olympics.
CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World

Dozens of East Central High School students are creating their own world to help raise recycling awareness among hundreds of Tulsa-area youth.

The group's work will be on display Thursday during the Recycling Olympics. For the fourth consecutive year, East Central students are organizing and staffing the event.

"This is going to be the biggest and best Recycle Olympics, yet," said Chris Bullis, an East Central senior who has participated in the event the past two years.

Organizers expect the event to attract 300 to 350 youth to McClure Park, said Gary Perceful, publicity chairman for the East Tulsa Prevention Coalition.

ETPC's youth committee oversees the annual recycling event.

For the past three years, students at East Central High School have created a special project for the Recycling Olympics.

"This year, they are making a replica of planet earth out of smashed soda cans," Perceful said. "Last year, they made a bed out of papier-mache. The year before it was a huge American flag made from smashed soda cans, and the first year, they made a pyramid out of used soda cans."

One unique element of the event is that the students are in charge.

"Recycle Olympics is a great opportunity for students to do something positive, especially during fall break," said Christal Jordan-Mims, youth volunteer coordinator for the Community Service Council of Greater Tulsa. "This is a kid function, not a school function."

ETPC is a program of the service council.

Recycle Olympics includes students from several northeastern Oklahoma cities, including some from as far as Locust Grove and Tahlequah, Jordan-Mims said.

Teams of five to eight teens from organized youth groups or organizations such as schools, churches, neighborhoods or clubs compete for prizes. Perceful said 35 teams participated last year.

Team competition includes an obstacle course relay, academic trivia, recycled art competition and speed sorting of recyclables.

Individuals can participate in games such as 2-liter 10 pins, aluminum can smash and milk jug catch.

"We want all youth to feel a part of Recycle Olympics," Perceful said. "We always highlight the team games but want to emphasize this year that there are a lot of individual games, so younger kids can come out with their older brothers and sisters and participate in the games.

"Everyone who participates will get in on the pizza and cookies and drinks. We'll have lots of pizza," he said.

Teams and individual game players will be eligible for prize drawings. The main prize this year is an $800 scooter with a helmet and pads. American Electric Power-Public Service Co. of Oklahoma donated the scooter.

Goodwill Industries got involved with Recycling Olympics last year and will have discount coupons this year, Perceful said.

"We find that sort of interesting as we consider Goodwill's clothing and appliances and collection depots as a recycling opportunity," he said. "And, Goodwill was happy to jump at the chance to educate youth about its jobs and skills training. That's Goodwill's focus. The sales business is there to fund the training."

Teams must register before the event and can do so at www.recycleolympics.com. According to that site, Recycle Olympics includes two divisions: sixth to eighth grades and ninth to 12th grade. Teams should consist of 5-8 members.

In addition to AEP-PSO and Goodwill Industries, event sponsors include the city of Tulsa, Tulsa Recycles!, Community Service Council -- East Tulsa Prevention Coalition, Metropolitan Environment Trust, Midland Recycling, Tulsa Refuse Inc., Free To Grow and the YMCA.