By: Kamea Kessel and Sophia Stillings, Dickinson High School Students
We started the recycling initiative at DHS in the fall of 2021. We thought that DHS needed a way to recycle the used paper that ended up in our classroom trash bins.
In the formation of this program, we had a background in leadership, from being National Honor Society and Student Council members to really take initiative in creating and achieving this recycling program at our school. We got together with our sophomore Biology teacher, Mrs. Venneman, to pitch the idea of a recycling club. We worked with her to find teachers who were open to having a recycling bin in their classrooms. Next, we created a list of teachers that wanted to recycle and set a day that would accommodate both the members and the teachers; this day was on Friday.
Every other Friday, the three of us (Kamea Kessel, Sophia Stillings, and Brandon Tackett) come in the morning before the other kids come to school and try to complete the classrooms before the morning bell rings. As we have continued, the initiative has grown, with more teachers asking to participate since last year. As of now, we have 20 teachers participating in our recycling program. Ultimately, our goal is to have a bin in every classroom and to expand our efforts further into the Dickinson community.
Since last year, we have only recycled paper, but as of recently, we have also begun collecting cans. Recycling has made us more conscious of what we throw away in our garbage everyday, using items that create less waste in our environment and are biodegradable. We have all been more self-aware of our ecological footprint. The transition from paper to chrome books lessens the amount of paper products we use in the classroom, which is better for the environment.
Ultimately we hope to inspire the following classes to continue this program and build upon it, as there are more ways to expand to plastic bottles and aluminum, as both are very common in our school’s trash cans. And even in our Dickinson community, to transition to a more sustainable and green environment.