From the beaches of Oregon to the rivers that flow through the state, West Linn High School’s advanced science classes are working to help the environment. Working with SOLVE, a statewide, non-profit out of Hillsboro, Ore. that cleans up environments, they hope to make the state a cleaner place.

Jim Hartmann, Environmental Science teacher, is leading the students participating in SOLVE. “We have been working with SOLVE since 2000,” Hartmann said. “There are about 30 high schools working with SOLVE, but WLHS was the first high school who was involved.”

“Steve Knette, Team Up program coordinator, first contacted us back in 2000,” Hartmann explained, “he helped us to be involved in the ecology of Oregon and the general clean up of of our campus and the stream that runs behind the school.”

SOLVE has helped and encouraged students to volunteer in more ecological restorations and to pursue careers in ecological restoration. Additionally, SOLVE speakers have been coming to WLHS and talking to the students on the Green Team,a club dedicated to helping the environment.

“The speakers come to talk to us and teach students about how to restore ecological restoration sites,” Hartmann said. “They also tell us about any upcoming clean ups and restorations.”

“We have been to Dahl Beach and did some clean up there,” Isabel Jolley, senior and member of the Green Team, said. “We have also done some blackberry removal and planted native trees.”

The Green Team at WLHS has helped to improve the ecology of the state and on the West Linn campus by cleaning up the stream behind the school. SOLVE accepts any volunteers for any of the clean ups or restorations, and has signups for the event on their website.