Starting today, Soundview residents may notice cleaner streets and more places to throw trash — all thanks to advocacy by some of the neighborhood’s youngest residents.
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.
The students’ mission began in June 2025, when 21 students and two teachers sent a letter to Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Council Member Amanda Farías, explaining that they were seeing a lot of litter on the ground and few places to toss it.
The students said they looked at photos of Manhattan and saw trash cans on nearly every block. “As a result, there is hardly any litter to see — on sidewalks or streets! So, why can’t our area of the Bronx have the same services so that we can enjoy clean and tidy walks to school,” they said.
In addition to the letter, students also surveyed 85 nearby residents who all agreed on the need for more trash cans.
Farías attended the school’s science fair the following fall, where she heard students’ complaints loud and clear — and promised to help them secure more bins.
“When these students came to me with a problem, I made a commitment to them that their voices would not be ignored—and within months, we made government work on their behalf,” said Farías in a statement sent to the Bronx Times.
As DSNY installed two new cans on April 15, students were thrilled to see they made a tangible difference in their community.
“If we have the right tools, we can make the best happen,” said second-grader Ava Perez.
“As 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,” said P.S. 100 teacher Rachel Goldman in a statement. “Our interaction with Council Member Farías 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.”
The students’ voices, along with their research to prove the demand for more trash bins, was “clear, thoughtful, and impossible to overlook,” Farías said.
“I wanted this to be a defining moment for them—to see that their local elected official listened, took them seriously, and delivered. That’s the kind of government we work to build every day: one that shows up, responds, and empowers the next generation to lead.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
