Editor’s note: The Rhetoric & Composition class conducted an e-waste recycling drive Oct. 6 as part of a project on community service. Their essay assignment with this project reflected on the experience. This is the submission from Shea Petrowske.

Service Learning Reflection

Those who partake in service experiences, often referred to as “service learning,” amalgamate learning goals and community service in ways that can supplement both student growth and common good. The CJD electronic recycling drive provided a quintessential opportunity for students at Chester High School to experience what service learning is all about. The E-Cycling drive gave students experiential opportunities to learn in a real world context and develop skills of community engagement. The event not only benefited those who took part in it, but our surrounding environment as well.

After listening and comprehending the message Mark North, Randolph County recycling coordinator, was trying to convey to my fellow classmates and I, I realized just how important it is to address issues such as recycling electronic waste. The majority of electronic devices our society utilizes on a daily basis are composed of various materials such as metal, which is recyclable. Many electronics contain hazardous and toxic materials such as mercury and lead, which can be harmful to humans and our environment if disposed of in trash cans. As an alternative to retaining unused electronics in the house or piling them in landfills, recycling or reusing them is a suitable option. By disassembling and recycling the material found in electronics, the promotion of conservation of undamaged natural resources is able to occur. Considering the benefits of electronic recycling, we must inform and embrace this concept to our society. In order to preserve the welfare of our environment, community service and leadership are pivotal components in obtaining success.

When serving at the E-Cycling drive, leadership and communication were two prominent strengths that students of Chester High School displayed. Upon the arrival of student volunteers, everyone quickly took charge without hesitation and assigned themselves to certain tasks. Although we had never participated in an E-Cycling drive before, we knew the ultimate goal and value of the event which compelled us to do our best. It was astounding to see the amount of volunteers for this event and the willingness of students to help in anyway possible. We answered questions, communicated thoroughly, and made sure things were running smoothly. Events such as the E-Cycling drive are successful because of motivation and determination to make a difference.

Not only did student volunteers of Chester High School provide great service during the E-Cycling drive, the community did as well. The role that I took upon myself during the E-Cycling drive was to collect statistics about where participants were coming from and how they heard about the event. To my surprise, we had a much larger turn-out than what I had originally anticipated. Not even an hour into the event, numerous vehicles were backed up onto Swanwick Street. I had no idea the amount of people who were desperately waiting for another E-Cycling event to come to the area. Statistics revealed that a total of 120 cars came through to recycle their electronic waste. The vast amount of people were locals from Chester, and a handful were from neighboring towns such as Ellis Grove, Sparta, Steeleville, and Trico. We discovered that the top two ways of advertising were through the newspaper and social media. It was intriguing to hear where people were coming from and how they found out about the event. As I reflected on my responsibility at the E-Cycling drive, I perceived a lot about our community and what is effective in service to others.

When speaking to residents of the area, I established an inference about service experiences. It appears that people tend to dread and struggle with planning large events due to the responsibility and effort that is required. Although it takes commitment and dedication, success can be obtained if people take on leadership roles and work together as seen in the E-Cycling drive. By contributing in some type of way, even the smallest of ways, a difference can be made. In order to solve this problematic trend, goals and values must be prioritized to pave the way to achieving success.

Prior to the E-Cycling drive held at Chester High School, we were educated about former electronic recycling drives that took place in nearby towns. This information was beneficial to us because it provided us with an idea of what to expect and gave us a goal to reach. After learning about the benefits of E-Cycling, I realized just how important it is to our environment. My classmates and I valued the idea of giving back to not only our environment, but our community as well. By having these goals and values in place, the success of our E-Cycling drive was much more attainable.

After taking part in the E-Cycling service learning event, I have become educated about issues in my community and the work that is being done to address them. A sense of empowerment and connection with community action was discovered within myself when serving at the E-Cycling drive. I concluded that leadership and service are inseparable ideas. In order to lead, one must be willing to serve. Both actions are only effective when combined. The success of one of these actions is based upon the effort, perseverance, and initiative of the other. Now that I have been a part of a service learning event, I better understand how significant it is to acquire skills such as these.