Submitted photoFrom left to right are first grade GATES students Jason Outler, Ben Lester, Lee Thomas (landfill superintendent), Jaliyah Thompson, and Gabriella Sanchez.

Thomasville City Schools students from Harper and Scott GATES Gifted and Talented Education Services) classes and Harper third graders learned how Thomasville handles water and waste.  

Director of Keep Thomas County Beautiful Julie Murphee and Julie Shutters with Golden Triangle Regional Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) worked with the teachers to set up a day of learning activities. 

First, students traveled to the Thomasville Landfill and toured the facility while learning about how trash is processed. Students realized that it would help if people could “reduce” what is used to create less trash. Next, the students traveled to the Thomasville Wastewater Treatment Plant and learned how water is taken in at the plant, goes through cleaning processes, and enters back into the creek behind the plant. 

Shutters worked with the students by the creek to identify the habitats in the area.