BELLINGHAM - Students searched high and low - mostly low - to collect nearly seven pounds of cigarette butts from local parks Wednesday, March 20, as part of national Kick Butts Day.

About 50 students from Whatcom, Shuksan and Kulshan middle schools and Squalicum High School braved the windy weather Wednesday afternoon to scour Whatcom Falls Park, Civic Field and the Sportsplex, and Cornwall Park for cigarette butts.

The cleanup was organized by the Whatcom Prevention Coalition, which works to promote healthy youth, as part of a national effort to clean up cigarette butts from public spaces.

"It was good," Kulshan eighth-grader Susie Bennett said of the hunt for cigarette butts. "A little cold, but definitely an eye-opener to see how much people smoke and where they do it. A lot of them were by playgrounds and where kids might play."

Shuksan seventh-grader Tylor Arnett said she and her group found the most butts near trash cans, park benches and sidewalks. She liked that the event allowed her to help clean up her community and compete against the other schools to see who could bring in the most cigarette butts.

Squalicum won by collecting a whopping four pounds.

"It was pretty fun, I've got to admit," Arnett said.

Reach Zoe Fraley at 360-756-2803 or zoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com. Read her school days blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/schools or follow her on Twitter at @bhamschools.