Miami School Has a Different Way to Help

St. Theresa Catholic School collects cell phones and empty ink cartridges.

What is your school doing to help the environment? Are they recycling, replacing light bulbs or fixing leaky faucets? Are there contests you can enter to promote water conservation? St. Theresa Catholic School in Miami, Florida, is one of many schools doing its part to help the environment. Here students help their school take part in a mission: a mission to help the environment.

St.Theresa Catholic School participates in a program called Funding Factory Cartridge Recycling Program. This program collects cell phones and ink cartridges in exchange for hardware and software technology products. St. Theresa School wants to keep its technology up to date. Every year, the school sets a new goal for how many cell phones and ink cartridges to collect.

The school also has an earth-friendly way of sending announcements home to the students: All announcements are made on the school’s web site. It's called the Brown Envelope. A newsletter for parents, the lunch menu, and a calendar of events are all posted online.

I have learned at my school that If we all work together, we can make the world a better place. I am proud to be a student at St.Theresa School.

—Daniela Bond

Photo: Kid Reporter Daniela Bond learns the importance of recycling at her school. (Photo courtesy Daniela Bond)

This School Cleans Up!

From butterfly gardens to recycling to clean up day, Hillside Middle School makes a difference one student at a time.

At Hillside Middle School in Manchester, New Hampshire, we have something called the Butterfly Garden. The garden, which is designed to attract butterflies, was created a few years ago by eighth graders at the school. Over the past two years however, the beautiful outdoor area has been forgotten. But not anymore!

Now the Student Conservation Association (SCA) is working with Hillside’s current 8th graders to restore the Butterfly Garden’s original beauty.

“We are trying to start a tradition where we are going to revamp this Butterfly Garden and keep it maintained so students can come out here and enjoy it,” said Ralph Protano, who is a part of the SCA’s NH Conservation Corps (NHCC). “Eventually we want to turn it into an outdoor classroom, that is our long-term goal.”

But for now, they are working on the beautification process.

“We’re just getting a place where kids can be excited about the outdoors right here on school grounds,” he said.

I am a student at Hillside Middle School where we are working to reduce, reuse, and recycle more.  At my school we have a recycling committee. So far, we have enforced a rule that teachers must turn off all computers, lights, and other electronic devises after school hours. We have recycling containers in the cafeteria for aluminum cans and water bottles. All paper and cardboard are placed in recycling bins and collected each week by the committee. Also, all the school’s lights are energy efficient fluorescent bulbs.

Along with these everyday efforts, my school is holding a clean up event on Earth Day, April 22. Students and Faculty members will stay after school and pick up trash on school grounds. We are also going to clean up the park across the street. 

When I think of Earth Day and ways to save our planet this quote always come to my mind: Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something (author unknown). in other words, no individual can do everything, but each and every person can do a little something to make a difference.

—Elizabeth Conway

Photo: Hillside Middle School's compost bin, which fertilizes the school's butterfly garden. (Photo courtesy Elizabeth Conway.)

Earth Day Celebration in Manchester, New Hampshire

I recently spoke with Ralph Protano, a member of the Student Conservation Association, more commonly known as SCA. Ralph is a part of the SCA’s NH Conservation Corps (NHCC), a group of 30 people who live together for 10 months at Bear Brook State Park.

To Protano, every day is Earth Day—a day to can look around and see the beauty of our planet and the fascination of nature.

“It’s a Day for awareness,” Protano said.

In honor of Earth Day, SCA held its 5th Annual Earth Day Celebration at Veteran’s Park in Manchester, New Hampshire, this past weekend.

“This is an annual event and we’ve been trying to expand it each year,” Protano said. “We’ve put a lot of time into the event this year, working on making the booths more exciting, more engaging, and entertaining,”

The topics ranged from recycling IQ tests to making your own Earth Day buttons, homemade foods and goodies. Other booths offered information on how to build rooftop green gardens. Each booth was unique and taught you something about our planet.  I even saw a hybrid car and an exquisite Vintage Euro-Style inspired ‘BMW’ isetta car.  Long name for a car!

The event featured an open mic, where people from all over the city sang, danced, recited poems, and showed off their talent. 

Another entertaining act included a hip-hop group called “The Apostles.” There was also a raffle, which gave away some really awesome prizes. The proceeds went into funding the event.

The SCA 5th Annual Earth Day Celebration was a great experience and a total success.  It was an opportunity for the people in my community to not only celebrate Earth Day, but to learn more about our amazing planet and ways to Go Green!

—Elizabeth Conway

Photo: Kid Reporter Elizabeth Conway tries out a hybrid car at the SCA Earth Day celebration in Manchester, New Hampshire, April 2009. (Photo courtesy Elizabeth Conway)

T-shirts Can Help!

Eco Club in Illinois raising money to help environment.

It's Earth Day everyday for the Ecology Club at my school in Illinois. Maine South High School's “Eco” Club participates in many activities each year both in school and out.  Members are committed to helping make our building more environmentally friendly and making people aware of the difference they can make in helping the planet. 

Walking into any classroom at my school, you'll immediately notice multiple recycling bins, each with different signs above them that were made by the students to explain why recycling is important and what we can and cannot recycle. 

We have recycling bins in the cafeteria and near the gymnasium as well.  With more than 2,000 students, a lot of paper is used every day at Maine South. But if each student utilizes a recycle bin, we can make the Earth a little bit greener.

The Ecology Club also engages in many activities outside of school as well.  In recent years, members have gone on excursions to the nearby prairie to help restore the land. They have also participated in forest clean-ups, gone to state parks to learn about different types of wildlife, and participated in roadside trash pickups.  They even set up booths at multiple community events to help educate younger children about why helping the environment is so important.

In celebration of Earth Day this year, the Ecology Club will be selling T-shirts to raise money to purchase recycling bins for the hallways.  Students can proudly wear their shirts to celebrate a greener school thanks to the efforts of the Maine South High School Ecology Club.

—Allie Sakowicz

Arkansas Kids Clean Up

In Phillips County, Arkansas, kids are making a difference—they’re going green! Students are joining the GEAR UP Environmental Club to learn and teach others about how to conserve the environment.

GEAR UP is an acronym meaning “Gaining Early Awareness Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.” It is a program that helps kids prepare for college. Sound boring? Actually, students who participate in GEAR UP have a great time. They go on field trips, take part in activities, and participate in free after-school tutoring and summer programs.

During the 2008 GEAR UP Summer Program at Barton High School, which included “Go Green” week, a group of students decided to put their new environmental knowledge to good use. With the help of their GEAR UP coordinator, they formed the GUEC (GEAR UP Environmental Club).

GUEC doesn’t have many members (about 10 kids), but that doesn’t stop them from making a difference. They have started to recycle cans and other aluminum things to fund different activities. For example, when GUEC decided to celebrate their successful club they had a pizza party. Where did the money come from? All those soda cans they recycled!

GUEC also cleans the community and they have planted trees and flowers in different places.

“We’re just trying to do our duties as citizens of Phillips County,” says one member. And they definitely are.

 The GEAR UP Environmental Club is setting an example for the kids and adults in their community. So can you!

—Maya Fleming

Photo: Image Source Photography

Green Habits, Green Earth

How a school in Brooklyn learns about conservation.

When it comes to preserving the environment, every little bit counts. That’s the philosophy at Public School 254 in Brooklyn, New York, which is becoming more environmentally friendly each day. For example, the students here learned about how they could participate in Earth Hour from the science teachers.

On March 28, 2009, the world celebrated the first Earth Hour. During Earth Hour, people around the world were asked to turn off their lights and TVs for one hour—from 8:30 p.m. through 9:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The lights in my classroom at P.S. 254 are usually off even during the day. We are taught at school to preserve and conserve all the time.

The school’s principal, Linda Alhonte, is encouraging teachers to discuss Earth Day, which is April 22, with their students. My science teacher set up a trip to Marine Park for the occasion. There, we plan to meet with a naturalist named Steven Brill. He will explain how to identify different trees and plants and how to know which are edible and which are not.

P.S. 254 is getting greener every day. At lunch, we are encouraged to throw our milk containers into recycling bins. And teachers are making sure we learn about the importance of the earth and how to preserve it.

Anyone can help our planet by planting a tree, turning off unneeded lights, or even by walking to school instead of riding in a car. What does your school do to help the environment? Post a comment, we’re eager to hear your answer. And remember, turn off all your lights for one minute at 9 p.m. on April 22, Earth Day!

—Alan Gelman

Photo: Kid Reporter Alan Gelman learns recycling habits at his school in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo courtesy Alan Gelman)

Environmental Elementary

How one New Jersey school thinks green.

Brunswick Acres Elementary School is one of the most environment-friendly schools in my community New Jersey community. Brunswick Acres believes that when it comes to the environment, there is always room for improvement.

“I think we can always find new opportunities and new ways to care for our environment,” said Joseph Anzek, the Principal of Brunswick Acres. He and, and 5th grade teacher Kenneth Kowalski talked to me recently about the importance of preserving the environment.

Brunswick Acres aspires to stand out as a role-model for other schools and institutions in the neighborhood, they told me.

“For example, if we got really good at recycling, the school could write all this down and send it to other schools to show them what we have accomplished,” Anzek said. “It will be like challenging them—and we'll be expecting that they will challenge us back!” He wants to create a healthy competition amongst local schools that is bound to make a major change in the community.

The Tulip Garden

Tulip Garden is a pilot project that Brunswick Acres started this academic year to nurture and cultivate pro-environment habits amongst young children.

“This project is making kids really look out for the environment,” Kowalski said.

Staff Members at the school encourage all students to get involved in environmental issues. They encourage kids to walk to school instead of riding in cars. For those who live too far away to walk, they encourage using the school’s buses for transportation.

Staff members also encourage students to use the same water bottle over and over again instead of throwing one out each day.

Using less paper, decreasing waste, and keeping school-grounds clean, are just a few of the essential things that every Brunswick Acres student follows in true spirit of Earth Day philosophy.

Brunswick Acres also has big environmental dreams and goals, ranging from doubling recycling efforts to installing energy-friendly solar panels on school roof-tops. At Brunswick Acres, students, teachers, PTO members, and parents team up to accomplish those goals.

What does your school do to help the environment. Click on the comment link below this blog post and tell us your thoughts!

—Gopa Praturi

Going Green in Michigan

Rochester plans biggest Earth Day Celebration in the state April 18-19

Rochester, Michigan, is ready for Earth Day. On the weekend before the April 22 celebration of all things Earth, the Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center (EAC) will hold its fourth annual Earth Day Expo, the largest Earth Day celebration in the state of Michigan.  This year, the Earth Day Expo will be held April 18-19 in Rochester. 

The EAC started the Expo because they decided Earth Day was the best way to reach larger audiences with their message to conserve the environment. John Batdorf, Web master and fundraiser of the EAC told me that Upland Hills also makes renewable energy with wind and solar power, and organizes a variety of tours, seminars, and workshops for people who want to learn more.

The Earth Day Expo will have exhibits, presentations, and entertainment for all ages.  The main focus is centered around green (earth friendly) products.

“We want everyone to know that a lot of people are working on Earth friendly products and programs that can improve people’s lives and the community,” Batdorf told me. 

About 50,000 people are expected to attend. Batdorf said he expects the renewable energy exhibit that has helped the EAC and the Expo grow so rapidly over the last four years will be the most popular. 

Various businesses have helped make the Expo a success.

“They provide money or in-kind contributions (stuff we need) for the Expo,” he said.  “We provide them with exposure on our advertising signs.”

As you can see, the EAC and the Michigan community really benefit from the Expo.  Educating people about going green has really boomed in the past few years.  When people are aware of and understand how to go green, they can start to take action, like the EAC, and improve people’s lives and the community.

What does your community do to preserve the environment or to celebrate Earth Day? Click on the comment link below this blog post and let us know! We’d love to hear from you.

—Andrew Prina

Photo: Two young environmentalists work on art projects at the Rochester, Michigan, Earth Day in 2008. (Photo Courtesy UHEAC)