Students turn environmental lessons into Action Starlite Beach cleanup station
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ALPENA -- A new beach cleanup station at Starlite Park is giving Alpena residents and visitors an easy way to take action for Lake Huron, thanks to a student-driven partnership between Posen Middle/High School, Great Lakes Great Responsibility (GLGR), and the City of Alpena.
The cleanup station, installed on Labor Day, was the result of several months of work by Posen students who helped develop the concept, design the station’s educational signage, and advocate for its placement at Starlite Beach. In April, students took their project directly to the Alpena City Council, formally presenting their proposal and making the case for why a cleanup station would benefit the community and the Great Lakes.
Funding for the project was provided by the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan, helping turn the students’ idea into a permanent resource for the community.
For students, the project was about more than picking up trash. It provided an opportunity to take what they had learned about marine debris and turn it into meaningful civic action.
"Posen Middle & High School students have been working over the past three years to remove marine debris from the Great Lakes region, and our partnership with Great Lakes Great Responsibility has been vital to that mission," said Posen lead teacher Stephanie Dege Goebel. "The approval process allowed students to be active participants in civic leadership by developing a proposal and formally presenting it to the Alpena City Council. They learned that their voices are valued and important in our communities, and that environmental advocacy matters no matter your age."
The station provides buckets that community members can use to collect litter along the beach, helping make cleanup an accessible part of a day at Starlite Beach. By creating a simple way for people to participate, the station also helps connect individual actions to the larger challenge of preventing marine debris from entering the Great Lakes. The Starlite Beach station is the second beach cleanup station established through GLGR’s partnership with local students and communities. A similar station was installed at Lakeside Park in Rogers City in May 2026, expanding opportunities for residents and visitors in Northeast Michigan to take part in keeping their local beaches clean.
"Students are often told that they are the leaders of the future, but this project shows what happens when we give them the opportunity to lead right now," said Meag Schwartz, Executive Director of Great Lakes Great Responsibility. "These students identified a problem, developed a solution, learned how local government works, advocated for their idea, and ultimately helped bring it to life. The cleanup station is a physical reminder that everyone has a role to play in protecting the Great Lakes, and that meaningful change can start with something as simple as picking up a piece of litter."
The project also aligns with the City of Alpena’s commitment to protecting Lake Huron through its Lake Huron Forever Pledge.
"Partnerships like this are a great example of how education can be turned into hands-on action that makes a visible difference in our community," said Alpena City Manager Rachel Smolinski. "This beach cleanup station gives residents and visitors an easy way to help care for Starlite Beach while building awareness about the importance of protecting Lake Huron. Efforts like these directly support the City of Alpena's Lake Huron Forever Pledge and reinforce our shared responsibility to keep our beaches, waterways, and Great Lakes clean for generations to come."
The Starlite Beach station represents the latest step in GLGR’s ongoing work to pair hands-on environmental education with community action. Through beach cleanups, classroom programs, youth leadership opportunities, and partnerships throughout the Great Lakes watershed, the organization works to remove existing marine debris while helping communities address the behaviors and systems that allow it to enter the environment in the first place.
The new cleanup station is now available for community members and visitors to use at Starlite Park.
Every piece of trash removed is one more step toward cleaner beaches and healthier Great Lakes.