Green in Action Runner Up
Kimbark Elementary School
San Bernardino, CA
Here are pictures of the Kimbark Environmental Leadership Program (KELP) preparing for and participating in educating another local elementary school on how to recycle in their classrooms. The presentation was created by our 5th and 6th grade KELP students after they learned that not all schools in our district have recycling programs.
The reason why we went to Belvedere Elementary School is because one of our teachers transferred to that school. She made a comment to me that the school doesn’t have a recycling program.
At one of our KELP (Kimbark’s Environmental Leadership Program) meetings, we were discussing recycling and getting ready to present to our own classes with reminders how to recycle, and I brought up how fortunate we are to have a recycling program when other schools like Belvedere do not. The KELP kids were astonished that some schools in their own school district did not have recycling programs. They instantly began to think of ways to share their recycling knowledge with their peers. They brainstormed, researched, wrote scripts and prepared all of the materials to go to Belvedere.
We received some free items from our county recycling contact as well as a small grant to purchase recycling bins. Our principal paid for a bus and after 4 months, we were ready to present.
The KELP students really enjoyed the presentation and felt empowered to continue to make a difference. We have since then helped clean up litter in our community and participated in the KAB Recycle Bowl.
These kids can’t wait until next year to see how they can make a difference
