Hay River (Apr 25/05) - On Friday, students at one Hay River school took their concerns about the environment to the streets.

The children of Harry Camsell Elementary School marched through downtown to mark Earth Day.

The students' goal was to help get out the message to protect the environment.

"So that the Earth can stay healthy," said Emily Fraser, an eight-year-old Grade 3 student, after helping create a banner for the parade.

"People shouldn't pollute and they should keep the Earth clean," added classmate Nicholas Cockney, 9.

Nicholas especially wants to see beaches kept clean. "I don't like glass or anything like that."

The two young students think adults should think more about the environment.

Jackie Carriere, a special needs assistant at the school, helped with the creation of the main banner which led the students on their march. It read: 'Earth Day, Take Care of Our Earth'.

Carriere noted students also made smaller posters for the parade. They proclaimed such messages as 'Save the Earth', 'Walk, Don't Drive', 'Keep the Air Clean' and 'Don't Pollute Water'.

"The water and the air were their main ideas, keeping those clean," Carriere said of the children's concerns. "They really stick to those ideas."

Other students expressed their messages in other ways, including through art made out of recyclable drink containers and through clothing made out of newspaper.

Earth Day is an international observance first held in 1970.

Principal Peter Grimm said the downtown march was to increase public awareness about the environment.

"Usually, what we do isn't so public," Grimm said.

In a normal year, the school would wait a few weeks until the snow is gone and students would walk around town picking up litter. However, this year has been warmer than usual and a parade was decided upon.

Speaking early last week, Grimm said the march would be a great experience for the children. "It will be their first exposure to the idea of taking care of the environment and doing something to make it better."