ALPENA — An idea developed by Posen Middle/High School students is now available for anyone visiting Starlite Park. A new beach cleanup station, installed on Labor Day, gives residents and visitors buckets they can use to collect litter at Starlite Beach and take a direct role in protecting Lake Huron.
The station was created through a partnership involving Posen Middle/High School, Great Lakes Great Responsibility and the City of Alpena. The project was funded by the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan and grew from several months of work by students who developed the concept, designed educational signage and advocated for the station’s location.
Students took the proposal to Alpena City Council
In April, the students presented their proposal to the Alpena City Council. Their presentation explained why a cleanup station could benefit both the community and the Great Lakes, turning an environmental lesson into a formal exercise in civic participation.
For the students, the project went beyond collecting waste. Their work focused on marine debris and on understanding how everyday actions can affect the Great Lakes. By helping create a station that other people can use, they connected classroom learning with a permanent community resource.
“Posen Middle & High School students have been working over the past three years to remove marine debris from the Great Lakes region, and our partnership with Great Lakes Great Responsibility has been vital to that mission,” said Posen lead teacher Stephanie Dege Goebel.
“The approval process allowed students to be active participants in civic leadership by developing a proposal and formally presenting it to the Alpena City Council. They learned that their voices are valued and important in our communities, and that environmental advocacy matters no matter your age,” Dege Goebel said.
How the Starlite Beach station works
The station provides buckets for community members who want to pick up litter along the beach. The goal is to make cleanup an easy part of a visit to Starlite Beach while helping people see how individual actions can reduce the amount of marine debris entering the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes Great Responsibility Executive Director Meag Schwartz said the project demonstrates what students can accomplish when they are given an opportunity to lead.
“Students are often told that they are the leaders of the future, but this project shows what happens when we give them the opportunity to lead right now,” Schwartz said. “These students identified a problem, developed a solution, learned how local government works, advocated for their idea, and ultimately helped bring it to life.”
Schwartz said the station serves as a physical reminder that protecting the Great Lakes is a shared responsibility and that meaningful change can begin with a simple action such as picking up litter.
Second station created through regional partnership
The Starlite Park installation is the second beach cleanup station established through Great Lakes Great Responsibility’s partnership with students and local communities. A similar station was installed at Lakeside Park in Rogers City in May 2026, expanding opportunities for people in Northeast Michigan to help keep local beaches clean.
The Starlite Beach project also supports the City of Alpena’s Lake Huron Forever Pledge, an effort identified by the city as part of its commitment to protecting Lake Huron.
“Partnerships like this are a great example of how education can be turned into hands-on action that makes a visible difference in our community,” said Alpena City Manager Rachel Smolinski. “This beach cleanup station gives residents and visitors an easy way to help care for Starlite Beach while building awareness about the importance of protecting Lake Huron.”
Smolinski said the project supports the city’s pledge and reinforces a shared responsibility to keep beaches, waterways and the Great Lakes clean for future generations.
Great Lakes Great Responsibility’s broader work combines beach cleanups, classroom programs, youth leadership opportunities and partnerships throughout the Great Lakes watershed. The organization works both to remove existing marine debris and to help communities address the behaviors and systems that allow debris to enter the environment.
The new station is now available for community members and visitors at Starlite Park. Each piece of litter removed through the station represents one step toward cleaner beaches and healthier Great Lakes.