Sixty-five schools — including Northshore School District’s Bothell High, Leota Junior High, Skyview Junior High and Sunrise Elementary — in 10 school districts across King County have earned recognition for their successful resource conservation efforts from the county’s Green Schools Program.

“Each of these schools has involved its whole school community — students, teachers and administrators — in reducing garbage, increasing recycling and improving other conservation practices,” said Dale Alekel, King County Green Schools Program manager.

“When classes resume in September, our program will be there to help the schools to maintain and expand what they started this year,” she said.

The program has three levels, each of which engage the entire school community in learning about sustainability and conserving natural resources.

Bothell High and Leota Junior High completed level one, while Skyview Junior High and Sunrise Elementary completed level two.

The award-winning King County Green Schools Program, which has helped more than 400 schools since its inception in 2003, provides hands-on assistance, recycling containers and stickers, as well as the support schools need to engage students and staff in conservation.

Simple steps, such as recycling and setting aside food scraps for collection, add up to big benefits. Thanks to the King County Green Schools Program, hundreds of schools now recycle 40 to 70 percent of their solid waste and more than 60 schools recycle food scraps.

Alekel said many participating schools and districts report cuts in operating expenses by maintaining successful waste reduction and recycling programs and reducing energy and water use.