Derek DelGallo and his classmates created an “aquarium” out of the trash.

Courtesy of Katherine Abatuno

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From Trash to Art

April 14, 2025
By Cailin Loesch

Some unusual works of art are hanging in the lobby of Lillian M. Jacobs School in Hull, Massachusetts. They’re sea creatures made entirely of trash collected by sixth-graders!

The school is located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. In February 2024, students spent a chilly day cleaning up a nearly 1-mile stretch of Nantasket Beach. They collected more than 40 bags of trash.

“I often go to the beach and don’t notice the trash,” says Derek DelGallo, now a seventh-grader. “But when I looked for it, I realized how much there was.”

Every year, billions of pounds of trash ends up in oceans around the world. Much of it is plastic. This waste not only pollutes beaches but can also harm sea animals. Many get tangled in the plastic or become sick after mistaking it for food. 

Courtesy of Jackie Ranney

The students found everything from old balloons to fishing cages on the beach (left). They sorted the trash into categories, such as glass, plastic, and foam (right).

A Better Beach

Courtesy of Jackie Ranney

After their beach cleanup project, the students sorted and counted each piece of garbage. They sent that data to the Center for Coastal Studies, an organization that helps protect the ocean near Massachusetts.

Then local artist Jackie Ranney and art teachers at Jacobs School helped the students transform the trash into sculptures of sea creatures. Their artwork has been on display in the school’s lobby since January of this year. 

“I hope kids see this art and think about how they use plastic,” says Ranney. “They might ask, ‘Do I throw away and recycle my trash properly?’”

Derek is proud that he and his classmates helped keep trash out of the ocean.

“Our town’s beaches are amazing,” he says. “We want to make sure they stay clean.”

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