Photo of a kid smiling against a backdrop of colorful crayons

Courtesy of family (Alli Miller); Julie Ann Fineman (The Crayon Initiative); Shutterstock.com (all other images)

I Recycle Crayons

Julie Ann Fineman

Three-sided crayons won’t roll off tables!

Over the last two years, two of my classmates have had to spend a lot of time in the hospital. I knew they might get bored while they’re there. I wanted to help my friends and other kids in hospitals pass the time. I enjoy drawing and coloring. I thought they might too.

That’s when I heard about the Crayon Initiative. The people there gather broken crayons and melt them down into three-sided versions. These new triangle-shaped crayons are easier for small kids to grip. And they don’t roll off hospital trays. The organization sends the new crayons to children’s hospitals across the country. 

I decided to team up with the Crayon Initiative. My first big challenge was letting people know that I was looking for old crayons. Luckily, my teachers, schoolmates, and a local TV station helped spread the word. 

With everyone’s help, I collected 60 pounds of old crayons. I sent them to the Crayon Initiative last November. The group used them to make more than 300 boxes of new crayons!

Knowing kids in hospitals got the crayons makes me feel happy. And I want to keep going. My new goal is to collect 200 pounds of old crayons by the end of the school year.

My advice to kids who want to reach goals? Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

  1. How does the Crayon Initiative recycle crayons?
  2. What community members helped Alli with her project? How did they help?
  3. What does Alli mean when she says “I want to keep going”?
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