Illinois 4th Graders
Run School Recycling Program

Jordan Stolz, Ryan Daiber, Tyler Carpenter and Zack Williams count milk jug tops.

Fourth graders at Marine (Ill.) Elementary School handle the school's all-student recycling program. They collect aluminum cans and tabs, used paper and milk jugs, old keys, eyeglasses, cell phones and even used athletic shoes.

The 9- and 10-year-old kids handle just about everything. They're divided into teams that promote recycling of the different items.

Ten-year-old Kendra Martin is a member of the aluminum cans and tabs team. She said her group "makes posters for the school and sends flyers home" to promote recycling.

During their free time, kids separate the tabs from the aluminum cans. Proceeds from the cans go to buy things for the school.

Aluminum can and tab team Lauren Kershner, Kendra Martin, Jacob Stole and Eric Bassett.

Nine-year-old Eric Bassett said kids use a special tool to crush the cans so they are easier to handle when being packaged for sale.

But, tab money is donated to a fund drive to benefit Ronald MacDonald House.

Kids have collected large amounts of recycled material. For instance, they've recovered over 250 pounds of can tabs alone. That figures out to be tabs from nearly 325,000 cans.

The kids' comprehensive recycling program has earned Marine Elementary recognition from Choose Environmental Excellence-Gateway Region (CEEGR). That's a group that recognizes outstanding environmental programs in the St. Louis metro area.

Marine kids bring paper from home for deposit in huge recycling bins outside the school.

Cell phone team Hunter Schmidt, Kellie Hanser, Danielle Stanley and Ashley Phelps

Nine-year-old Ashley Phelps said she brought in 14 plastic bags full of used paper. She said, "My grandmother is a pack rat when it comes to saving paper."

Ten-year-old Jacob Hobbs said is father brings in waste paper from where he works to add to the paper from his home.

Nine-year-old Megan Grotefendt said she and other 4th graders also go to each classroom "to collect class paper" for recycling. Revenue from the waste paper goes to purchase things for the school.

Another collection item is old eyeglasses.

Keys and eyeglasses team Taylor Ford, Megan Grotefendt, Cody Lynn, Jacob Hobbs and Travis Heusier.

Nine-year-old Travis Heuiser doesn't wear glasses. But, he said, "When my grandmother and grandfather don't like their glasses anymore, I bring them in." The old eyeglasses are donated to the Lions Club.

Collection of obsolete cell phones is a new recycling effort at Marine Elementary. The collection started only last November.

The phones are donated to a program to benefit victims of domestic violent. Proceeds also support educational efforts of an industry group called the Wireless Foundation.

While their recycling efforts were going on, teacher Sharon Logan had each student produce a written report about the program.

The kids were asked what other things they'd recycle if they were in charge.

Nine-year-old Danielle Stanley said she'd like to recycle used clothing. "I'd give it to a factory to make better clothes out of them," she said. Now, she said the family's used clothing is sold at garage sales.

Kendra Martin said she'd like to see surplus food be recycled. "We could use it as fertilizer," she said.

Other 4th graders Tyler Carpenter, Zack Williams, Tiffany Adams, Ryan Daiber and Kaleb Stajdukar

Travis Heuiser said he'd like to pass a law against litter. He said, "We would give you a ticket if you littered," he said.

Nine-year-old Taylor Ford said recycling paper is important "so we'll have more trees." Megan Grotefendt said using recycled paper means "animals will have more homes" because new trees don't have to be cut down.

Another recycling item is plastic milk jugs. The kids collect the tops from the jugs while the jugs themselves are put out for curbside collection. Marine, Ill., has neighborhood recycling pickup also.

Other 4th graders Mikayla Cavaness, Jordan Stolz, Zack Saggioco and Lucas Grady.

Every time the kids collect 3,000 jug tops that represents the amount of recycled material that goes into a plastic park bench. The school gets the bench for its use.

The recycling of used athletic shoes is a new program sponsored by Nike under its Reuse-A-Shoe campaign. The company makes new products from the worn-out shoes.

(If your school would like to get involved in recycling efforts, you can get information about Choosing Environmental Excellence-Gateway Region by clicking on the Resources tab on the YSL.com home page. Look up the CEERG.)