- December 5, 2025
Wind picked up as a storm cloud traveled south across the Flagler Beach PIer. Amelie Martinez lets the wind blow her hair off her face, during a beach cleanup with her dad, Demetrio. Photo by Jacque Estes
Ellen Sperber holds a bag open for Jacob Roster's beach plastic. Photo by Jacque Estes
Cleaning up the beach. Photo by Jacque Estes
Max Monds helped pick up plastic on Flagler Beach on Friday, May 13. Photo by Jacque Estes
Deuce Monds picks up trash off the beach. Photo by Jacque Estes
Amelie Martinez proudly shows off a box full of plastics she collected on the beach. Photo by Jacque Estes
Students and families from Old Kings Elementary clean up the beach on Friday, May 13. Photo by Jacque Estes
Seo Mochizuki holds his bag of collected plastics, next to a sand turtle with a sad face. Photo by Jacque Estes
Hailey Sands and her dad, Jason, pick up plastics on Flagler Beach on Friday, May 13. Photo by Jacque Estes
Abigail Post picks up a piece of microplastic off the beach. Photo by Jacque Estes
An ominous cloud moved southward over the Flagler Beach Pier, as Old Kings Elementary students, their families, teachers, and Principal Benjamin Osypian participated in a beach cleanup on Friday, May 13.
Friday was the second attempt at a beach cleaup for the class. The class was rained out of their first attempt in April. On Friday the storm stayed offshore, there was no lightning, and the students were able to complete their project.
“Good people and a good project,” Osypian said.
The plastic trash will be melted down and used for a summer art project, according to OKES teacher Ellen Sperber. The cleanup detail included Rodney Harshbarger's Beach Club, Katie Frassrand's Recycle Club, Laura Schiller's K-Kids, Sperber's Microplastics Awareness students, all wanting to make a difference.
A sand turtle, created by a beachgoer earlier in the day, captured the attention of the students at the end of the cleanup. Sand, and a sad face were added to the beach sculpture by the students.
“The turtle is sad because there is so much plastic on the beach,” second grade student, Seo Mochizuki said.
