Three Green Team Challenges
- Lights: Out!
- Recycled Paper: In!
- Ambassadors: Go!
The Green Team at PS8 emerged in the spring of 2008 when environmentally concerned teachers Melissa Browning, Brandi Hayes, Angie Nelson, Julie Shultz, Carolyn Saffady and Noelle Gentile met with students during lunch to discuss the sustainability.
Students showed such interest and dedication to this important issue that Principal Seth Philips decided to initiative a formal effort at PS8 to improve eco-friendly practices in the school and drama teacher, Noelle Gentile, was appointed to head up the effort. Interested students were asked to produce essays about the significance of the environment in their lives and members. Thirteen Green Team Members were selected: Miles, D'Angelo, Sakara, Carlos, Octeavia, Shante, Kate, Madeline, Shanice and Brianna from 4th grade as well as Laila, Clarissa and Sebastian from 3rd grade.
This week the Green Team announced three challenges to the PS8 Community to make the school more environmentally sound.
On January 22nd, thirteen Green Team members took on the initiative to introduce these three new challenges to grades K through 5 at PS8. In teams of two, Green Team members visited all classrooms to talk about the three hot green topics:
- "The Lights Off Challenge"
- A school-wide initiative to use recycled paper exclusively
- And a "Recycling Ambassador Program" to assure proper classroom recycling through the appointment of a "Recycling Ambassador" in every class whose responsibility will be to make sure that all students are properly recycling.
Green Team member D'Angelo checked his uniform -- the organic cotton T-Shirt with the cutting edge logo -- before entering classroom K-101 to meet an excited group of Kindergarteners. Thirty pairs of eyes were glued to their elder schoolmates as D'Angelo and Green Team pal Kate shared their news:
For the next two months, the Green Team will be in the classrooms every Thursday to ensure good recycling habits. A "Recycling Ambassador" chosen by the class and teacher will be responsible to oversee paper recycling to make sure that only paper lands in the blue recycling bin. Green stars will be rewarded to the class if all goes well -- they will receive a check on their "star chart".
When Kate announced that the class with the most stars wins an "eco friendly" pizza party hosted by the Green Team, the Kindergarteners cheered loudly.
Five-year old Richard Margridge raised his hand eagerly to announce what he know about the environment: "If you cut down all the trees, there will be no more trees for making the world pretty, and they will not make any air for us either". D'Angelo and Kate were very impressed by their fellow schoolmates, "They are so young, but they already understand so much about recycling", stated D'Angelo. "I hope the Green Team will help all students understand the effects of Global Warming better" Kate added.
Upstairs Green Teamers Miles and Clarissa were checking the recycling bin in classroom 2-201. "Just paper and construction paper!" exclaimed Miles happily, "This class has definitely earned it's first star!"
Vice Principal Bob Mikos and passionate Green Team leader Noelle Gentile are very happy that the school is making a big push for environmental sustainability-- thanks to the Green Team. In December the team wrote letters to the principal requesting the use of only recycled paper in the school. Two weeks later Seth Phillips called a meeting to announce and support their efforts. "It costs more, but it is for the greater good -- we have to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible," explained Bob Mikos, setting forth a new agenda for PS8. Adds Noelle: "Seth and Bob are very impressed with the dedication of the students. They see great value in the students championing a cause, making a plan and seeing it realized," says Noelle.
"There are plenty more challenges ahead. We are now tackling the school's energy use." Enter "The Lights Off Challenge." For a period of two months students and teachers are asked to be diligent, switching off the lights whenever not needed. The Green Team plans to compare electricity bills over the period to check usage savings.
Great news for the Green Team: The Board of Ed now officially demands conversion to energy saving light bulbs -- custodian Anthony exchanged all inefficient bulbs over the holiday break.
To learn more about the Green Team, please check out the Green Team Bulletin Board across from the entrance to the Parent's Room. A special link to up-to-the-minute information on Green Team initiatives will be available on the PS8 Website soon.
Posted on: February 10, 2009
