HEB RECYLING GRANT REPORT by Karen North

 Our Motto

Taking Care of Our Brains, 
So we can Take Care of the Earth.

INPUT

The idea of starting a recycling club comes from a group of girls who interacted with a website on Earth Day. From that inspiration they took photos around Piney Point ES to show a need for recycling and taking care of their environment. They are excited that with the support of HEB, they are putting into motion a club to build their young dreams. Pictured is Green Club President Kelly M., the driving force for the club, receiving the HEB Grant. On a field trip she is shown with her dream job mentor, Todd Casselman, Chair of KHB and Allied Waste manager. Also shown is Robin Blut, Executive Director of Keep Houston Beautiful and co-sponsor of the HEB grant.

Karen North, Piney Point Elementary Technology Specialist and KHB Education co-chair, serves as co-sponsor of the Piney Point "Green Club" along with fourth grade teacher Kimberly Boyce. Prior to teaching at Piney Point she was the Technology Instructor at Westside High School where she recruited students to serve as members of its environmental club. She has worked with videos showing the impact of KHB projects on students learning.

PROCESS

• Recycling Clubs started involving both the Piney Point Green Club and the Computer Science STEM Club. Ms Boyce has devoted many volunteer hours to sponsoring The Green Club. Ms. North sponsored the Computer Science Club where she incorporated computing into solving a real-world problem.
• Recycling was promoted to the Campus Community resulting in a whole school culture that has become involved in the importance of saving our earth. Videos were coordinated by Hector LaRotta, 3rd grade teacher. Bulletin Boards and posters were designed to communicate the importance of recycling. A middle school student for his community service project designed an Earth Day bulletin board.
• Recycling containers were purchased and have been used throughout the school year. A schedule for collection has been maintained.
• Safety Green T-shirts were created with a Club logo on the front and a personal graphic on the back. The logo on the front says, "Taking Care of our Brains so we Can Take Care of our Earth." This has motivated students to design posters for recycling awareness and Earth Day along with applying computing skills.
• To integrate computing and science curriculum through recycling - A presentation communicating connections with the National Girls Collaborative Project will be given on June 19th in Austin. Crystal Rain Forest programming software that integrates both environmental concerns and computing will be incorporated during the 2009-2010 school year.

OUTPUT

The most notable result of this project is that we have implemented and are sustaining a paper recycling program school-wide. Prior to the start of this club, staff members talked about needing to recycle paper, but few took the time to do it. Now every staff member is making an effort to recycle paper correctly. Students have been given a hands-on experience of operating a recycling collection program and the experience of promoting the recycling program to Piney Point Elementary School students, parents and teacher groups.

FEEDBACK

Our feedback includes the smiles from the student faces, the students who volunteer to empty the containers, and seeing the containers overflowing everyday.

PINEY POINT CS STEM GREEN CLUB

FIELD TRIP TO HOUSTON EDUCATION CENTER AND LANDFILL SITE

May 7, 2009

FIELD TRIP to the Republic - Allied Recycling Education Center and Solid Waste Landfill Site

Photos at pineygreenclub.shutterfly.com show the technology the students had the opportunity to learn about, so they can take care of their brains. This brain food was a motivating experience, so our young children will take responsibility in taking care of our earth. This trip was arranged by Niki Nira, Education Center Director and Todd Casselman, General Manager and chair of Keep Houston Beautiful. Joining the children was Robin Blut, Executive Director of KHB. The trip was sponsored by a grant from the National Girls Collaborative Project and KTB / H-E-B Green Bag Recycling Grant.

Mildred said, “She could not believe how many people throw away too much trash. There was a lot of trash in the landfill. WOW!” One student said, I thought tires were not supposed to be in a landfill; response was some people don't follow rules. Another student observed all the cardboard boxes that should have been recycled. Asia liked the landfill, but thought it “stanked.” Upon returning Galvin said, "The world will need our help or it will be a junkyard soon." Julian said, “I like the Earth to be clean.” Kimberly said, "I need to pick up the trash in the world to help."

Oscar said he learned a lot in the education center. Lailla added that she likes to learn lots of stuff and she did. Genevieve said, “I like learning about the paper shaped like boxes squished together.” Jason liked seeing how it worked. Juan thought the trip rocked and really liked the video. Belky thought it was the best place she has gone to. Anthony thought it was exciting, Tooba and Tianna thought it was awesome, and Edwin had a lot of fun. Jerry said, “Thank you for the field trip. It was so cool. We went to the mountain. It smelled bad. I had a lot of fun. My Dad works near by.” Rae’Aja’Nique added, thank you very, very much for the field trip; it was so nice of you.” Jerry said, “Thank you for teaching me, I know more now.”