Olivia Brown’s classmates are on the playground, but she’s carrying a plastic bag outside her school, looking for trash like she does every day during recess.
Olivia’s mother, Kay Brown, says Olivia gave herself this cleaning role at the beginning of the school year.
For most elementary schoolers, recess is a break from work.
But for one heritage elementary student, it's a time to clean up after others.
Fox 55's drew frey tells us why, tonight on kids who care.
Olivia brown's classmates are on the playground.
But she's carrying a plastic bag outside her school, looking for trash like she does every day during recess.
3 olivia's mother kay says olivia gave herself this cleaning role at the beginning of the school year.kb: at first we were like, well olivia, you can play too, it's alright.
And she just insisted on doing this, so we let her keep doing it, just picking up the trash and things.
No one asked her.
She just decided to do it on her own.the reason olivia trades her playground time for trash duty?ob: i care about the animals more than anything else.
They think the trash is food, and if they swallow it or choke on it, they will die.standup: olivia's teachers honored her earlier this year for keeping her school clean one piece of trash at a time.kb: it's very out of character for an 8 year old, almost 9 year old to want to do something like that, so they were very excited and wanting to honor her for that.
Heritage elementary staff praised her in person and over the p-a speaker for the entire school to hear.even outside of school, olivia volunteers through 4-h, and helps premature babies - like she used to be - during the march of dimes.kb: i think you should not underestimate kids.
Don't wait until they're older to get them involved.
Get them involved early.
Find something that they're passionate about, find something they really care about, and do something for other people.and what olivia cares about right now is picking up after others.in monroeville, i'm drew frey, fox 55 news.
Olivia also plans to work on a project this year to promote recycling.
If you know a child who is doing something extraordinary in the community..we want to hear about it and feature them in our kids who care segment.
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