Recycling 

Pendleton County is a rural area that is preparing youth to be leaders today.  

Fifth grade students at Southern Elementary struggled when their school was not practicing what was being taught.  The students described the benefits to recycling as

• Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators
• Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals
• Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials
• Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials
• Saves energy
• Supports American manufacturing and conserves valuable resources
• Helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States

With these benefits in mind they choose to lead the efforts of recycling at their school.  They partnered with the Pendleton County Extension Family and Consumer Science Agent. Together, they applied for and received a Family and Consumer Science mini grant for $2500.00.   The grant purchased recycling bins for each classroom and office at the school, a total of 54 bins.  As a promotional effort the students created a YouTube video that was shared with administration and classrooms.  The grant also funded resources for the 5^th grade students to encourage teachers and students to recycling which include student designed rubber bracelets.  Teachers also received material on what can be recycled in our recycling plant.   The program was under way and in the first two weeks of operation, classroom bins had to be emptied twice a week.   

The fifth grade students identified a problem in their school, created a plan, received funding and implemented a recycling program that changed the behavior of administrator, teachers and students.  These young people are our future who take pride in their community and take positive action to improve the environment.