By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic

MIAMI | Students and faculty members from Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame Prep recently “stormed the beaches” of Virginia Key North Point for a pre-Earth Day cleanup.

Nearly the entire senior class — 48 students — spent the day putting into practice the teachings of Pope Francis in his encyclical, Laudato Si, Care for Our Common Home. They were joined by faculty members Kathy Berdugo, science and math area coordinator, Oscar Cedeño, director of Student Services, and Bruni M. Egan, theology teacher.

While the students picked up the trash — over 800 pieces of garbage which they logged using the Marine Debris Tracker App — they also learned about five different eco-systems: the beach, hammock, sand dune, mangrove and wetland.