North St. Paul

Special-education students seek used tennis shoes for world's poor

Special-education students in the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District are collecting used tennis shoes in hopes of keeping them out of landfills and putting them on the feet of needy people around the world.

Only one in 100 pairs of shoes currently are being recycled, a district news release said.

The local initiative is being organized by the multiple needs classroom at the district's Next Step Transition Program, which serves secondary students.

The "Green Sneakers" effort will run until Earth Day, which is April 22.

Drop-off sites include: Castle Elementary School, North St. Paul Community School, Skyview Elementary School, Beaver Lake Education Center, Cowern Elementary School, Richardson Elementary School, John Glenn Middle School, North High School, Next Step Transition Program and the District Education Center.