Equipped with fistfuls of weeds and broad smiles, Mount Kisco Elementary School students celebrated Earth Day by learning about food waste and beautifying the school grounds.

Students started the day’s festivities by meeting in the gym by grade level to watch a food waste presentation. Throughout the week, students had been putting their food waste in a separate bin in the cafeteria to be composted. In the first four days alone, they collected 363 pounds of food waste.

Officer Eddie Ramirez from the Westchester County Police joined the presentation, asking students to teach him about compost.

“I’m learning a lot from you today,” he said. “It’s really cool.”

Officer Ramirez explained that, as a police officer, part of his job is to help keep the community clean. Learning from the students could be helpful in thinking of more community service ideas and opportunities.

After the presentation, students went outside to begin their beautification projects. Fifth graders spread out in front of the building and in the garden, pulling weeds and getting the garden ready for a productive spring and summer.

“We’re beautifying our school,” music teacher Carolyn Rowan said to students as they pulled dandelions out by the root. “It’s part of our job.”

Down in the garden, students were taking the Earth Day message of caring for their community and the Earth to heart.

“Animals are dying in the ocean because of trash,” Jennifer Morales said, as she balanced a big orange bucket full of weeds. “It’s really nice to help because I feel bad for the Earth. It want to do everything I can.”