Students, teachers and other members of the school community in King County who inspire and educate others by showing how simple, everyday conservation actions can contribute to a healthier planet were honored May 5 at King County’s annual Earth Heroes at School ceremony.

Among those honored was Secondary Academy for Success (SAS) teacher from Bothell, Judy Ellis, for measuring daily lunch waste to strategize ways to reduce it.

Honorees were lauded by King County Executive Dow Constantine at an awards ceremony at Maplewood Greens in Renton. King County Solid Waste Division Director Pat McLaughlin presented the awards.

Called the Green Queen by students, Ellis has been a leader in the school’s recycling program since 2005. She oversees a weekly waste audit to determine if items are being thrown away instead of recycled. She helped obtain aluminum water bottles to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles, and saw that compostable dishes and utensils were used in the lunchroom, all of which contributed to a recycling rate of 84 percent in January 2013.

For more information about the Earth Heroes at School Program, contact Donna Miscolta at donna.miscolta@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-5282.