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Success Story: Lake Youngs Elementary School
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Student Green Team
Green team students gather below their Green Schools banner.
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School District: Kent
School Location: Kent
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: September 2009
Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in April 2010
Level Two of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2011
Level Three of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2011
Waste Reduction and Recycling
- Lake Youngs Elementary School increased its recycling rate from 33 percent to 50 percent, a 56 percent increase. Thanks to the school’s recycling success, the garbage dumpster is picked up half as often.
- The school had a King County recycling assembly in fall 2009 to kick-start the recycling efforts. Through this assembly, students were taught about which items can and cannot be recycled.
- Efforts included educating students and staff, increasing classroom recycling, and initiating can, bottle and milk carton recycling in the lunchroom.
- Students also recycle chip bags, Capri Suns and cookie wrappers through the Terra Cycle program. In 2010 the school earned about $200 that will be used for environmental activities.
- Stickers that list what can and can’t be recycled were placed on all recycling containers.
- By reducing paper use and lunchtime waste, the school reduced its total solid waste by approximately 25 cubic yards per month in 2010 as compared with 2009.
- In 2010-11, with help from its PTA, the school raised over $2,000 by hosting an electronic waste recycling event for the community.
Energy Conservation
- Stickers were placed on all of the school’s light switches to remind students and staff to turn off lights when they leave each room.
- Most classrooms turned off the lights during lunchtime to help conserve energy.
- Head custodian Ruth Nowak created a student energy conservation team that helped to turn off lights in empty classrooms throughout the day.
- Each classroom assigned a student or pair of students to turn off computers and lights in unoccupied rooms.
Water Conservation
- Students were taught how to report leaky faucets in bathrooms and classrooms, and the custodian regularly responded to the reports.
- Third grade students planted trees and shared a presentation with other classrooms about the importance of clean water and a healthy environment.
- Fourth grade students hatched and released salmon and discussed the importance of water conservation and keeping water clean.
- Classrooms took part in a water challenge to promote turning off the faucet while soaping and lathering hands. Signs were put up in bathrooms to remind students to turn off faucets when they soap up their hands.
- To conserve water, the school used student power - hands and muscles - to clean out courtyard drains without the use of hoses and pressure washers.
- The school has low-flow toilets and faucets.
For more information about this school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:
Ruth Nowak, head custodian
Ruth.nowak@kent.k12.wa.us
Terry Thibodeaux, teacher
terry.thibodeaux@kent.k12.wa.us
Beth Gilbertson, environmental services supervisor, Kent School District
Elizabeth.gilbertson@kent.k12.wa.us
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