The Earth Heroes at School program recognizes outstanding achievement in recycling, energy and resource conservation, plus other projects at their school or beyond to protect our environment.
King County Councilmember Dow Constantine will present certificates of achievement at an event to honor the Earth Heroes at 4:30 p.m. April 30 at the Maplewood Greens Golf Course Banquet Room, 4050 Maple Valley Highway, Renton.
Local winners are:
• Cora Byers and Audrey Phillips, Leota Junior High, Woodinville
These students organized an environmental club and initiated their school’s participation in the Cool Schools Challenge, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and in the King County Green Schools Program, to recycle and conserve natural resources. They led the club in creating a Green Spirit Week, which highlighted a different environmental issue each day and established a Green Bulletin with information for students on conservation practices. The duo is also creating a recycling center for batteries, cell phones and printer cartridges.
• Pete Misner, Arrowhead Elementary School, Kenmore
Principal Misner was instrumental in bringing the King County Green Schools Program to Arrowhead Elementary. Some of the changes he has helped to bring about include eliminating all Styrofoam lunch trays, placing recycling bins in classrooms and offices, switching from paper to e-mail newsletters and holding a school-wide clean-up event. Misner attends every Green Team and ensures that both students and staff members are knowledgeable about the school’s recycling system.
• Sustainability Team at Skyview Junior High, Bothell
Skyview Junior High staff members and students have embedded environmental education and actions in the fabric of their school. They developed a recycling and waste-monitoring project, which in the past year has increased their recycling rate from 10 percent to 50 percent. Staff members developed family sustainability surveys and action plans that highlight the importance of balancing needs with wants. Other accomplishments include a rigorous hazardous-waste-reduction program and a successful student-led effort to encourage McLendon’s Hardware to accept fluorescent light bulbs for recycling.
