District Five announces top Recycling Awards
October 29, 2015
IRMO, SC – Lexington-Richland School District Five has named Dutch Fork Elementary, CrossRoads Intermediate and Chapin High schools winners of its 2014-2015 Top Recycling Award.
The recognition was created by District Five in partnership with Sonoco Recycling to honor schools that collected the highest amounts of recycling materials last school year. This year’s winners were recognized at an Oct. 26 school board meeting.
“Environmental stewardship and responsibility is something that we want to model for our students,” said District Five Coordinator of Science, Health and P.E. Beth Boland. “By celebrating schools’ recycling efforts, we are encouraging responsible citizenship.”
The awards were given to the elementary, intermediate/middle, and high schools with the highest average pounds per student of recycling materials, allowing student population to be factored into totals. Dutch Fork Elementary collected 73 pounds per student (37,269 total pounds), CrossRoads Intermediate collected 50 pounds per student (45,940 total pounds), and Chapin High School collected 43 pounds per student for a total of 48,708 pounds. In total, District Five collected more than 589,000 pounds of recycling material last school year – over 100,000 pounds more than the district collected during 2013-2014.
“Dutch Fork Elementary School Academy of Environmental Sciences is committed to developing students who care about the world in which we live,” said Julius Scott, the school’s principal. “Learning in general, and learning about the environment in particular, should lead to positive social action. Recycling allows our students to be stewards of the earth while making our school and community better.”
CrossRoads Intermediate School Principal Jess Hutchinson added, “We are very proud to accept this year’s recycling award in the intermediate/middle school category. We feel that it is important for our students to be given opportunities to improve our community as they grow as young citizens. Our sixth grade learners and staff have worked hard to make this program successful… and we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
At Chapin High School, students have participated in recycling contests, even designed a school recycling sticker, to promote their efforts. Chapin High science teacher and current recycling co-coordinator Jessica Alderman said, “The students at Chapin High really take ownership of their environmental impact, and are volunteering to work hard during their PowerHour/Lunch to ensure that we are reducing our impact as a school and community.”
Jane Hiller, education specialist for Sonoco Recycling, says school recycling programs have numerous benefits for students, staff and the community.
“Recycling is important in our schools. It empowers students and staff as good stewards of our environment at school and beyond,” Hiller said. “Sonoco Recycling is proud to partner with Lexington-Richland Five students, faculty and staff members across the district. District Five’s top recycling schools inspire us all with their efforts to conserve natural resources.”
