Recycle Olympics resurface
David R. Million Assistant Editor
10/20/2004
Tulsa World (Final Home Edition), Page ZE1 of Community

East Central students again play leading role

East Central High School students are recycling a 4-year-old trashy idea that seems to be gaining popularity.

Recycle Olympics 2004 is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at McClure Park, Seventh Street and Memorial Drive.

Organizers are billing the Olympics as a free, fun activity for students during the annual fall break when schools are closed.

As in past Recycle Olympics, 25 to 30 teams of five to eight youths each from organized youth groups or organizations such as schools, churches, neighborhoods, apartments and clubs, are expected to compete for prizes.

East Tulsa Prevention Coalition's East Central High School Youth Committee created Recycle Olympics five years ago and stages the annual event with student volunteers, said Cindie Lamon of the Community Service Council of Greater Tulsa, a sponsoring organization.

New this year is a recycled art competition.

"It's separate from the team games," said Osman Sheikh, an East Central junior who is in charge of the art committee.

"We created the art competition for the kids who don't want to participate in the team games that are more physical. It's for the more artistic, creative people who want to use recycled material to create artwork to get the message out that we need to recycle and show that creative things can be done with trash," Sheikh said.

While the other games are for teams only, individuals or teams may enter the art competition.

"Just bring your creativity. We'll provide all the trash you need for a great art project," Sheikh said.

All students attending the Olympics are eligible for giveaways, including an electric scooter donated by American Electric Power-Public Service Co. of Oklahoma.

Prizes such as T-shirts, cash and recycled trophies will be awarded to winners.

"Oh, they're so funny," Lamon said of the recycled trophies the East Central students are creating. "They're hot-gluing pieces of trash to (old trophies) and then painting them gold, silver and bronze."

Competition will be in two divisions: sixth through eighth grade and ninth through 12th grade.

Adult volunteers will serve pizza, cookies and drinks to the students.

"There'll only be about 20 of us adult volunteers, because the students create, plan and carry out Recycle Olympics," Lamon said.

About 60 East Central students will conduct the Olympics, said Gary Percefull of the East Tulsa Prevention Coalition's public relations committee.

"I never imagined Recycle Olympics would be an event that would last five years, but the East Central students have fun and do a good job putting it on year after year. With the addition of the art competition, I expect this year's will be the biggest and best ever," Percefull said.

Hundreds of students have participated in Recycle Olympics during the first four years, he said.

"This is going to be the biggest and best Recycle Olympics yet," said Monica Ruelas, an East Central student who participated on the Recycle Olympics organizing committee last year and is on the committee for this year's event.

In addition to the Community Service Council, the prevention coalition and the East Central High School Youth Committee, Recycle Olympic sponsors include the city of Tulsa, Metropolitan Environmental Trust, Tulsa Refuse Inc. and Midland Recycling.