Orange County Coast Keepers “Shares Joy” with Students for a Beach Cleanup

HUNTINGTON BEACH⸺ For many, Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer, leading to packed beaches and increased waste found on our shores. Orange County Coast Keeper teamed up with Orange County students and the California Coastal Commission to combat plastic waste, clean up the beach, and find a shared joy in nature.  On May 28, OC Coast Keeper bused 552 students from nine elementary schools in inland Orange County to Huntington Beach to participate in the statewide Kids Oceans Day.  Students picked up 115.14 pounds of trash before working together to create a human aerial artwork display spelling out “Share Joy” to fit with the theme of the event Discovering Joy in Nature.  This is the 20th iteration of the event and the first to be in person in over two years.  The program started as a cleanup program in Los Angeles over 20 years ago before adding the aerial art component after an artist was inspired by the kid’s dedication to cleaning up the coast.  “An artist found out about the cleanup and felt inspired to add this art component,” said Orange County Coastkeeper Deputy Director of Programs Dyana Peña. “Especially feeling so inspired that all these kids were taking action and wanted to...