2010 Longhorn Recycle Roundup Winners... Congratulations to the below schools for their outstanding campus recycling, conservation, and beautification initiatives. Winning schools receive $500 to improve their campus environmental efforts and will be recognized on the field at the Texas vs. Florida Atlantic Game on November 20th.

• Barton Hills Elementary School
• Bryker Woods Elementary School
  
• Cunningham Elementary School
  
• Gullett Elementary School
  
• Summitt Elementary School

Schools with new recycling programs are recognized with the Coca-Cola Recycle Rookie Award. The 2010 Coca-Cola Recycle Rookie Award and $250 cash prize winner is Hill Elementary School.

 

Honorable Mention. We would also like to recognize Texas School for the Deaf for their outstanding campus environmental efforts. As an honorable mention winner, Texas School for the Deaf will receive a Pizza Hut pizza party.

 

The $100 Longhorn Recycle Roundup Drawing goes to Great Oaks Elementary School.

 

Recycling paper, print cartridges, cell phones, plastic, and aluminum; collecting rainwater, composting, and maintaining native garden beds is the norm at schools winning this years’ Longhorn Recycle Roundup contest.  What sets these schools apart is that these efforts are campus wide involving students, teachers, and parents. Winning schools have proven to be innovative in their efforts to go green. Read more…

 

Barton Hills Elementary School’s “GreenWorks” PTA committee partners with parent volunteers, community partners, BHE faculty and staff, and of course students to green their campus. Weekly local clean-up events keep the campus area free of litter. Paper, cardboard and aluminum are recycled daily on campus.

 

Students, parents and faculty alike participate in the school’s landscaping projects including bi-annual Landscaping Days, an Adopt-A-Garden program, and a vegetable garden. 6th graders raised money for a wildflower legacy gift that will be seeded on the hill next to the school. The wildflower meadow will be a great addition to the 25 native trees, crushed granite walkways, butterfly, peace, and 25 native gardens already found on the school grounds.

 

Waste reduction meets gardening in Barton Hills’ lunchroom and cafeteria where ALL food and paper are composted. Thanks to Barton Hills commitment to being green local landfills are less full and a new waste wise generation is emerging.

 

2006 to 2010 - yes that is 4 years in a row - Longhorn Recycle Roundup Winner, Bryker Woods never rest on their past accomplishments. A 2007 audit of their eco-programs spurred the formation of the Go Green Committee. Involvement in the committee extends to students, teachers, parents, community members, churches, and local businesses all working creatively and effectively to reduce and recycle on campus in their  “waste and the impact on the planet” focus. 

 

Bryker Woods takes a comprehensive look at what kinds of waste are produced on campus whether it’s carbon emissions, food, packaging, or electronics. Reusable trays, rainwater collection, Technotrash days, and gardens are a mainstay at the school. NEW and unique campaigns include “Opt In Paper” where parents have to sign up to have paper newsletters delivered, “No Idling” which encourages drivers to turn off their vehicles while waiting, “Swap O Rama” clothing swap, a bike to school program, and the “Just Take Two (paper towel)” campaign which has saved over 900 pounds of towels from the waste stream! 

 

Recycling at Cunningham Elementary School began with just paper and cardboard, but once students started thinking about it, they realized there was so much more that could be done!  Forming a Green Committee, Cunningham reached out to recycling companies to recycle plastic, metal, glass, toner, ink cartridges, batteries, and even food through their compost system. The Green Committee grew along with the amount of waste that was recycled, expanding to reach all grade levels, staff, PTA, and community members. Impressed with all the progress, the principal decided to recreate Cunningham into a Green Arts Academy, where the green practices are tightly integrated with the school curriculum. 

 

With the help of over 140 volunteers, students, and staff, Cunningham now boasts their very own outdoor classroom – a beautiful courtyard of native gardens, murals, and walkways to encourage outdoor exploration and learning.  Curriculum backpacks are created from gently used backpacks that contain all materials needed to teach the lessons. Cunningham Elementary has demonstrated exceptional green initiatives that they take very seriously. Prospective staff members are even asked how they will support the cause!

 

The Gullett geckos have been busy!  You name it - batteries, cans, cartridges, plastics, cell phones, and even rainwater – they recycle it. Their recycling adds up, $48,000 to date as a matter of fact. The school boast the highest amount of recycled paper weighing in at 60,040 pounds!  Waste reduction is happening in the cafeteria too. Installation of a new dishwasher eliminated all disposable lunch trays and utensils. “No Idling” and “Walk or Roll Wednesday” campaigns raise awareness about air pollution.

 

To see just how much they have been doing, take a look at their new outdoor learning center.  The area is an attractive home for birds, pollinators, pet rabbits and a turtle. Not to mention, students exploring and learning in the garden on a daily basis. On the ground and in the air Gullett is making is paving the way for what it means to be green.

 

Students, staff, and volunteers at Summit Elementary are realizing that there really are no limits to how much they can accomplish. In just a year, there has been a formation of a student inspired Summit Earth Team for 4th and 5th grade, a household battery collection, a Wildflower Planting Project, and a plastic bag recycling drive.  However, Summit hasn’t stopped there!  They are currently working on Styrofoam recycling, “No Idling”, and paper towel waste campaigns while continuing their event recycling, school wide garage sales, and a Youngest Child List to conserve paper that goes home to parents.

 

Many of these campaigns serve as fundraisers to purchase supplies to expand their green initiatives from plants for their Wildflower Project and outdoor classroom, to Mutt Mitt bags that help owners pick up after their pets. Projects at Summit Elementary are student driven. Fourth graders made recycled paper, third graders created Earth Day Comics, fifth graders teamed up with Pre – K to build bird feeders from re-claimed materials, and kindergarten students use recycled paper from the “Goof Box” to doodle on. Summit Elementary School has definitely been resourceful, creative and effective in making eco friendly projects the norm at their school!

 

By being open to new ideas and studying other schools in the district, Hill Elementary has evaluated their waste production and is taking steps to improve it.  Whether it’s replacing paper table covers with reusable cloth ones or overhauling their cafeteria system to include a dishwasher for reusable plates, Hill tackles each project head on with enthusiasm. They recognize that by changing just one habit, they can divert a whole lot of waste from the stream.  Students take an active role placing recycle bins where they will be used the most, and educating other students through presentations.

 

Hill recently switched form bleach wipes to disinfectant spray, promotes student use of reusable water bottles, and has Green Classroom Party Packs to reduce waste at class parties. Their “No Idling” campaign has taken the extra step to educate parents on the health risks of idling. School composting and rainwater collection fertilize and irrigate native gardens. Hill Elementary is a great example of how easy it is to “green” your school if you are open to ideas and mindful of consumption and waste.