Written in bold, black Sharpie outside of the Upper School office, the “0 days since tables were clean” sign looms over the surrounding area. For as long as teenagers and to-go containers have existed, trash and treating spaces with respect at Parker seem to be an epidemic without a cure. From trash cans around the school filled to the brim after a lunch period to an ecosystem of Starbucks cups occupying a table, Upper School students can never consistently get one thing right: picking up their trash. 

A trash-filled school is far from picture-perfect: expectations of clean halls and respected spaces are replaced with the reality of spaces around the school littered with plastic cups instead of computers. For a school that prides itself on creating respectful and global citizens, our spaces fail to reflect that aspect of the Parker education and instead display that respect is a burden. Trash can be a small thing: a sushi container, a carton of milk from the cafeteria. However, the trash in community spaces leaves a big impression. When parents and kids come to Parker for a tour or a shadow day, Parker’s progressive pedagogy and unique learning experiences can be easily overshadowed by the carelessness displayed by the trash in spaces meant for learning and community. 

The trash problem doesn’t only affect the Upper School. For years, the Lower School has been writing persuasive letters to the Upper School student body, asking them to pick up their trash in shared spaces and be mindful of their surroundings. These sentiments, however, are often shrugged off by the Upper School and are seen as a redundant assignment completed by 8-year-olds that they’re forced to do every year. While this carries some truth, the message behind the mandated letters have a significant meaning that Upper Schoolers always ignore. It’s their responsibility to set a good example for the younger grades, and in a K-12 environment, the actions and habits of Upper Schoolers directly affect how the lower grades think of Parker and the building they learn in every day. These 8-year-olds aren’t asking for much, just to set a moderate example of caring for a space and demonstrating respect. 

The aesthetics of littered space and its internal effects on the building, however, are just the tip of the iceberg for a much larger, more complex issue. Leaving trash everywhere and expecting someone else to pick it up isn’t just a sign of disrespect to the inanimate objects where the cans and containers rest, but a lack of empathy towards the maintenance and cleaning crews who are responsible for cleaning the building. When trash can’t seem to find its way into a can or cans themselves are filled beyond capacity, it’s a signal to the maintenance staff that students don’t acknowledge the time and effort they put into keeping their spaces clean. In a community and school that so heavily emphasizes empathy and partnership, even with an unfamiliar person, Upper Schoolers often fail to give staff members the recognition they deserve. A five-foot trip to the garbage isn’t just about keeping a space looking pretty; it’s about showing important members of the Parker community respect and recognition for the work they put in to prevent community spaces from becoming landfills. 

Parker’s trash culture feels like an impossible puzzle, a labyrinth with no escape. No matter how many incentives are given or tables taken away, leftovers of lunches always seem to make themselves at home on the grounds of the hallways outside of our learning spaces. While there may be no instantaneous, immediate solutions to a seemingly eternal issue, the best thing to do as an Upper School is become aware of the issue our trash causes. Develop a sense of accountability; treat community spaces like community members themselves; thank the maintenance staff when they clean our classrooms and hallways. Being aware of the issue doesn’t just make the school a prettier, more appealing place to the outside world, but fosters a sense of gratitude and respect for the spaces we so often take for granted.