"Ring!" The shrill school bell rang with a resounding clang, reverberating throughout the school, sliced through the cacophony of students' laughter and screams. Amidst the chaos, I waited eagerly with my classmates for a bus to arrive. Not long after, a large vehicle which towered over us came to a halt. Some of my classmates bolted towards the bus to get in, while others were too busy chatting to even notice. I was raring to go for this class outing. I thought, "This is the first time I am going to a beach for a class outing!" Adrenaline coursed through my veins while I wondered what to do at the sandy beach."Class, we have reached the beach!" my teacher boomed at us, which disrupted my train of thought. The students' chatter turned into silence. When we got down the bus, I saw it - the sandy beach, and waves crashing into it. However, out of the corner of my eye, something caught my attention. Trash was littered all over the beach, which covered the beach like a thick blanket. When we walked closer towards the beach, an acrid smell wafted in to the air.
"Class, today we are going to do a beach cleanup. Please get into groups. Trash bags and tongs will be provided." my teacher announced. Some groaned, however; I could not wait. I could finally do something to help the environment. I thought.
At the start, we had a whale of a time collecting litter from all different sections of the beach. However, the sun was like a giant fireball which glared straight onto us. The unbearable heat made us perspire. Beads of perspiration rolled down my cheeks, but I pushed on. After what seemed like an eternity, thirty minutes passed by. At that moment, the sun was covered by thick grey clouds. Lightning flashed across the dark sky and thunder roared. The rain was like thick metal sheets which slammed onto the ground. Everyone scattered around. It was barely thirty minutes! Why is our class outing ruined already? Just then, a brilliant idea struck me. With one arm holding an umbrella and the other with a pair of tongs, I set off. With a steely resolve, I continued picking up litter, as mud splashed in my shoe.
Soon, the rain cleared and light shone onto the beach. All of a sudden, my teacher announced, "Class time is up. However, I would like to say something. It is about John. John was the only person who stayed to clear up the rubbish, even in the rain. Please give him a round of applause." There was rapturous applause and some cheered for me. A warm ember glowed in my heart and a wide smile spread across my face.
As we were about to reach the bus, I glanced at the beach one last time. The beach looked much cleaner and looked as if the sand was shining. On the way back to school, I stared out of the window, reflecting on the day's events. I learnt that caring for the environment is everyone’s responsibility.
