Second and third-grade students of Springcreek Primary in Piqua watch The Illusion Maker’s recycling education program on Monday, Sept. 18. The Illusion Maker is a magician who teaches children about reducing waste and recycling in a fun and engaging manner.
Roscoe Racoon, of Miami County Solid Waste department, gives high-fives to second and third-grade Springcreek Primary students who had just sat through The Illusion Maker’s recycling education program on Monday, Sept. 18. The Illusion Maker is a magician who teaches children about reducing waste and recycling in a fun and engaging manner.
Miami County Commissioners Gregory Simmons, left to right, and Ted Mercer, Roscoe Racoon, of Miami County Solid Waste department, Miami County Commissioner Wade Westfall, and Springcreek Primary Principal Ross Loudenback, pose for a photo on Monday, Sept. 18, after second and third-grade students heard The Illusion Maker’s recycling education program. The Illusion Maker is a magician who teaches children about reducing waste and recycling in a fun and engaging manner.
By Sheryl Roadcap
PIQUA — It’s that time of the year again when Miami County elementary school-aged children are learning about the importance of the “three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle.”
Second and third-grade students of Springcreek Primary in Piqua, which instructs grades K-3, sat for an “edu-tainment” assembly Monday afternoon, Sept. 18, from The Illusion Maker on the value of the reducing waste and recycling. The Illusion Maker’s program was hosted by David James and sponsored by Miami County Solid Waste management.
The Illusion Maker is an entertaining, educational magician who uses his magic skills to teach children about reducing waste, the benefits of cleaning up litter and recycling. The information is presented in a kid-friendly, age-appropriate manner that may spark good habits and conversation about recycling at home.
Close to 300 students participated Monday in The Illusion Maker’s “A Magical Environmental Quiz Show.” Brad Petry, Miami County Solid Waste coordinator, said it’s always entertaining to see how excited the kids get while participating in program.
“The recycling educational program helps the district to reach out and impact more students positively and help students, but it is also an opportunity to bring something fun into the schools,” Petry said.
During his presentation, The Illusion Maker discussed what litter is, how to properly clean it up; he also displayed items, like a cloth grocery bag, that can be resused and what should be recycled. He explained the importance of reusing common household items to reduce waste. The magician also displayed items, such as a soda can, steel can, plastic bottles, paper or glass jars that can be recycled into a new soda can or glass, etc.
At one point, he cleaned up some“litter” on the stage and then made it disappear from his litter bag, which get squeals of excitement from the students.
During the quiz show part of the presentation, he asked students if they thought a statement was true or false. Children were asked to raise their hands to vote on their answers. The group answered about their thoughts the “three Rs,” litter, decomposability, and the amount of trash an average person wastes and saving energy. Students cheered excited and loudly and threw their hands in the air when the collective group picked the correct answer to the magician’s questions.
“Most of us throws out close to 5-pounds of trash per day. That is almost 1,800 pounds per year, but of course, if we remember to reduce — use less — reuse — use again — recycle — take our old stuff, send it away to be made into new stuff — we throw away less, send less to the landfill, and that is healthy for the environment. Because remember, we don’t want to feed the trash monster,” The Illusion Maker told the students.
He told the children it is their job to go home and teach their families what they learned about recycling, “So make sure you are recycling everything you can.”
