Milwaukee students help with city's spring cleanup

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Students at La Escuela Fratney took a break from the classroom to enjoy some fresh air and clean-up what was the hidden mess under all of this winter's snow.

"It can help us make a difference because we can have a cleaner city and community," said 5th grader Maya Schmitz.

The spring clean-up is a partnership between the city of Milwaukee and Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett visited the students to emphasize the importance of keeping our environment clean.

"Mother Nature doesn`t take care of the bottles and the cans and the newspapers, so whose got to take care of that? That`s where you guys come in," said Mayor Barrett.

But it's not just the kids being asked to help out.

Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful is providing cleaning supplies for anyone willing to lend a hand.

"We give away the bags and we loan out the equipment for a group that is going to do a neighborhood clean-up on a weekend or a weekday and then they return it so that other people can use the tools as well," said Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful Executive Director Joe Wilson.

Students have also been learning about the environment in the classroom, and many say they're excited to be a part of this effort.

"We can also not only help people we can also help the animals so they don`t get hurt if they try to eat the garbage, said 5th grader Chloe Ewings.

Showing you can make a difference at any age.

If you're interested in participating in the spring cleanup, CLICK HERE.