Avery Decelles says she feels good about helping the planet, often out in her rubber boots collecting litter from ditches around her community
A seven-year-old in Ste. Anne is quietly making a big impact, one bag of trash at a time.
Avery Decelles has been picking up litter along roadsides and in ditches since she was just five years old. What started as a simple outing with boots and a garbage bag has grown into an annual spring tradition.
“Seeing garbage made me want to pick it up,” Avery says in an interview, explaining the simple reason behind her efforts.
In a recent outing, she filled two full bags in just ten minutes.
Avery’s grandmother, Annie Wilby, says what stands out most is her consistency.
“I thought it’s pretty neat to see that kind of motivation for a young age,” notes Wilby.
Wilby says her motivation comes naturally, driven by a strong care for the environment. Each year, as the snow melts, Avery heads out on foot or by scooter to ‘clean her planet’, as she likes to say.
Inspiring others
Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Family members now join her, turning it into a group activity, and passersby have stopped to thank them. Avery has also inspired those closest to her, including her younger brother and friends, to lend a hand.
For Avery, helping clean up makes her feel good, and she encourages others to take action.
“Come and help to clean the planet. If all of us do it, it will be cleaner,” she says.
She also offers advice to others to not litter and to take better care of the Earth.
“No throwing garbage out of the window.”
With Earth Day around the corner, Avery is looking forward to taking part in school activities and continuing to lead by example.
Earth Day at school
At École Pointe-des-Chênes (PDC), where Avery attends school, her efforts are being echoed through a broader Earth Day initiative. Grade 5 teacher Mia Griffith says students are encouraged to show their support by wearing blue, green or animal prints to represent the Earth.
The day will also include a “zero-waste lunch,” where students are asked to bring reusable containers and avoid single-use packaging. Griffith says the initiative is designed not just to raise awareness, but to build long-term habits.
One key part of the program involves Grade 5 students researching environmental topics and presenting them to younger classes. Griffith says students are more likely to be receptive to and connect with their peers.
“We decided to do that because it’s important to have the younger kids educated on how to recycle properly to help them make better choices in the future.”
A group of PDC students display Earth Day posters in the hallway, helping spread awareness across the school
Future leaders
The school is also tying the initiative into broader ideas about youth leadership and environmental responsibility.
“Young people can absolutely make a difference because they are the people that are going to take care of us in the future,” says Griffith.
Alongside the presentations, students will take part in interactive hallway activities, with questions placed throughout the school. Environmental awareness will also continue throughout the week with daily announcements.
The effort won’t stop at the school doors. A community cleanup is already being planned for mid-May, in more optimal weather conditions, giving students another opportunity to put their learning into action, just like Avery.