R-S Central Takes Home Litter Bowl Trophy!
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NC [Oct 22, 2026] – The Litter Bowl returned for its seventh annual run this September. A total of six Rutherford County High Schools participated in the Keep Rutherford County Beautiful (KRCB) competition to see who could pick up the most litter. The goal of the competition is to remove litter from our public spaces, including roadsides, parking lots, public parks, trails, and campuses, while encouraging the next generation of environmental stewards.
The Litter Bowl ran from September 18th to September 28th, corresponding with the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Fall Litter Sweep initiative. The participating schools were East Rutherford High School, Lake Lure Classical Academy, R-S Central High School, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, Chase High School, and Rutherford Early College High School (REaCH).
Overall, students and community members collected an astonishing 4,140 pounds of litter. In first place, R-S Central High School, took home the trophy with 1,395 lbs. Rutherford Early College High School (REaCH) put up a fight with a total of 630 pounds, and Lake Lure Classical Academy took third place with 315 pounds.
"What started as an idea around a table has grown into seven years of school pride, community service, and healthy competition. Congratulations to the 2026 winner R-S Central High School!" says Jenna Bailey, founder of Keep Rutherford County Beautiful. "It means so much to me to see what our students continue to accomplish together. I’m grateful to be part of something that brings out the best in our young people and our community.”
Rutherford County citizens were also encouraged to join in and form litter pickup groups to show support for their favorite local high school while giving back to the community. The Town of Forest City picked up an astonishing 1500 pounds from over 25 roads in Forest City. Chimney Rock Development Association picked up 105 pounds from the beloved Chimney Rock Village. Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority picked up 240 pounds from Coxe Road in Rutherfordton. Rutherford Outdoor Coalition picked up 240 pounds during the Fall River Sweep on the Broad River. Multiple other private citizens and groups collected litter in places like Bills Creek Road, Union Road, Maple Creek Road, Thompson Road, and other locations throughout the county.
The Litter Bowl competition would not have been possible without all of the volunteers who offered their time and efforts. The school leaders Todd Whitley with East Rutherford High School, Heather Roof with Rutherford Early College High School, Natalie Brown with R-S Central High School, Evelyn Warner with Lake Lure Classical Academy, Ashley McCommas with Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, and Ms. Bomer with Chase High School all led excellent efforts with their students. This year, Chase Middle joined in on the efforts too with 58 students joining in on sweeps lead by teacher Hilarie Beam.
“The students truly stepped up as leaders this year and showed an incredible commitment to our county,” said Allie Houtz, the lead of the Keep Rutherford County Beautiful program. “From environmental clubs to student councils, students across Rutherford County came together and tried their hand at civic engagement. We see these students going on to be advocates for a cleaner and greener Rutherford County in the future.”
The Keep Rutherford County Beautiful committee visited each school during lunch hour this year to raise awareness about Litter Bowl and litter prevention efforts across the county. Hundreds of students eagerly signed up to participate, and many followed through on their promise, with over 400 students volunteering this year.
Looking onwards, there are plans to continue civic engagement with local high schools through a Trash Trout program coming to Rutherfordton and Forest City. The litter capturing devices offer a hands-on way for students to engage in litter prevention in our local waterways, and to collect meaningful data to inform advocacy and action towards a cleaner Rutherford County.
Although the Litter Bowl has come to a close, individuals can plan on participating in Keep Rutherford County Beautiful’s upcoming Spring Litter Sweep in April 2027. There is also a state-wide cleanup day being held in Spindale on November 7th at 10 a.m., in an effort to beautify the Thermal Belt Rail Trail and surrounding areas. Volunteers can sign up to participate in the statewide clean-up at the sign-up linked here.
Keep Rutherford County Beautiful began as an Earth Day litter pickup and has transformed into a movement throughout Rutherford County, North Carolina. Neighbors, industry leaders, business owners, schools, and municipalities have joined forces to change the way we define community, leading programs and initiatives to propel Rutherford County's beautification forward by tackling the problems arising from our disposable economy. As of 2023, KRCB became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s largest community improvement organization. This milestone is a testament to the work the organization has put in since 2017 and the progress they have made. Together, we are taking action to love where we live, work and play.
For more information about KRCB, visit their website www.KeepRCNCBeautiful.org, Facebook page @KeepRCNCBeautiful, Instagram page @keeprcncbeautiful, or email @KeepRCNCBeautiful@RutherfordCountyNC.gov.
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