Starting today, Soundview residents may notice cleaner streets and more places to throw trash \u2014 all thanks to advocacy by some of the neighborhood\u2019s youngest residents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After first and second graders spoke up in frustration about litter near their school, two new trash cans were added April 15 along Lafayette Avenue near P.S. 100 Isaac Clason Elementary School.<\/p>\n
The students\u2019 mission began in June 2025, when 21 students and two teachers sent a letter to Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Council Member Amanda Far\u00edas, explaining that they were seeing a lot of litter on the ground and few places to toss it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The students said they looked at photos of Manhattan and saw trash cans on nearly every block. \u201cAs a result, there is hardly any litter to see \u2014 on sidewalks or streets! So, why can\u2019t our area of the Bronx have the same services so that we can enjoy clean and tidy walks to school,\u201d they said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In addition to the letter, students also surveyed 85 nearby residents who all agreed on the need for more trash cans.\n<\/p>\n
Far\u00edas attended the school\u2019s science fair the following fall, where she heard students\u2019 complaints loud and clear \u2014 and promised to help them secure more bins.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen these students came to me with a problem, I made a commitment to them that their voices would not be ignored\u2014and within months, we made government work on their behalf,\u201d said Far\u00edas in a statement sent to the Bronx Times.<\/p>\n
As DSNY installed two new cans on April 15, students were thrilled to see they made a tangible difference in their community.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we have the right tools, we can make the best happen,\u201d said second-grader Ava Perez.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cAs educators, we hope that this memory visits our students whenever they encounter a problem in the world that may be too big to solve on their own,\u201d said P.S. 100 teacher Rachel Goldman in a statement. \u201cOur interaction with Council Member Far\u00edas taught them that when we investigate and learn about why a problem exists, we can take steps, often with the help of others, to fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The students\u2019 voices, along with their research to prove the demand for more trash bins, was \u201cclear, thoughtful, and impossible to overlook,\u201d Far\u00edas said.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted this to be a defining moment for them\u2014to see that their local elected official listened, took them seriously, and delivered. That\u2019s the kind of government we work to build every day: one that shows up, responds, and empowers the next generation to lead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reach Emily Swanson at\u00a0eswanson@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0(646) 717-0015<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n