Stratford District Secondary School students will be able to unburden themselves of old clothing, books, jewelry, sports equipment and other items in exchange for the chance to hunt for some pre-owned, gently used treasures brought in by their classmates during the school’s first Student Swap event April 21.
In a tradition carried over from Stratford Northwestern and Stratford Central secondary schools before they merged three years ago, local high school students will have the opportunity to learn the value and environmental benefits of thrifting through Stratford District secondary school’s first Student Swap event.
On April 21, students at Stratford’s public high school will be able to unburden themselves of old clothing, technology, books, jewelry, sports equipment and other school-appropriate, non-food items they no longer need in exchange for the chance to hunt for some pre-owned, gently used treasures brought in by their classmates.
“They only need to bring in one item to be able to (participate), but there’s no limit to how many you can bring in, in total,” said Elliana Morrison, one of the student organizers from SDSS’s Grade 11 fashion class. “And then when all the items are displayed (in the cafeteria), they can take as many things as they want.”
The idea behind the event is to promote the continued reuse of consumer goods instead of throwing them away and buying new again. The event is not only a way for students to get rid of some of their old belongings, but it also promotes waste reduction by extending the life of things like old clothes and cell phones so they don’t end up in the landfill.
“It promotes reuse culture and it allows students, especially students who may not have enough money to buy certain products, a chance to get some really nice items at no cost,” said Nathan Bean, another student organizer.
“I think with our generation there’s a lot of you buy it, you use it, you throw it away. With this, it’s not just about single-use items. Like with phones now, you use them for a couple years and then you get a new one. There’s just so much waste that being able to show students that this opportunity of reusing, especially at a young age, is really important so they can hopefully continue it when they’re adults.”
The fashion students also hope to reduce the stigma around wearing used clothing by showing their classmates that clothing can take on a new life after its original owner doesn’t want to wear it anymore.
The event, which will begin at 2:10 pm at the start of fourth period, will also give students a chance to socialize with one another in the cafeteria while they’re searching for those hidden gems.
Students from both the fashion class and the school Eco Club will be on hand over the next week to sort through the items and make sure everything is school appropriate. Members of the community can also donate to the Student Swap event by dropping items off in the school’s front foyer before April 21.
All donated items that do not find new homes will either be properly recycled or donated to a local charity of the students’ choice.