Since Beech Hill kicked off its new and improved recycling program this year, several students have grabbed old phone books from their homes and brought them to school to have them recycled.
Last year, the school’s “Green Team,” which is made up of students who want to see Beech Hill become more eco-friendly, started to meet after school to plan a course of action. They contacted the government of Dorchester County, which provided the school with 75 recycling bins that are now fixtures in classrooms, teacher lounges, computer labs and the cafeteria.
Third-grader Kyra Derrick, a member of the Green Team, says the idea to make Beech Hill a “green” school has been in the works for a while, but that it wasn’t until recently that the idea became a reality.
“Getting the program developed was a long, hard process and we had to write a four-page proposal,” Derrick said. “We brought the proposal to (Principal Rene) Harris who said it was a great idea and that we all need to start going green.”
Throughout the school, clearly marked recycling containers inform staff and students in which bins they should place cardboard, paper, aluminum cans and plastic bottles.
Fourth-grade teacher Jennifer Wilde says she and her class have had several discussions about the importance of recycling.
“One of our school’s lighthouses of learning is nurture, which focuses on protecting the Earth,” Wilde said. “The recycling initiative is one way for the students and staff to do their part.”
Wilde’s message appears to be hitting home with many of her students, including Ashton Sobeck, who says that even though all the students aren’t on the school’s Green Team, each of them can contribute.
“It’s really important that we recycle because if we put everything in the trash our landfills will continue to rise,” Sobeck said. “We also need to conserve our natural resources because if we lose them, we wouldn’t be able to live.”
Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com
