Elmwood Ecology Club Puts Message into Action

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Green Dream: The new Ecology Club at Elmwood Elementary School is taking a hands-on approach to promoting environmental responsibility among students and staff.

Established this school year by teachers Rosanne Knapp and Monica McNamee, the Ecology Club is spearheading efforts to recycle various materials, including paper, plastic, glass, metal cans, cell phones, ink cartridges and batteries.

To make paper recycling easier for staff and students, Ecology Club members decorated large boxes and placed one in each classroom, then took on the responsibility of regularly emptying the bins.

To keep everyone motivated, Knapp and McNamee have been posting the cumulative amounts of materials recycled by the school.

A $750 grant from the South Lake Educational Foundation helped Knapp and McNamee to start the Ecology Club. In addition to recycling, club members have been supporting their cause in various other ways. Earlier in the year, they decoratively painted reusable canvas bags and sold them at the school’s book fair, Christmas bazaar and parent-teacher conferences.

Why Go Green? With the proceeds they earned, the students made a donation to the World Wildlife Fund for the protection of three endangered animals: The eagle, dolphin and panda.

“We chose the eagle because it’s Elmwood’s mascot, and the students voted to select the other two animals,” McNamee said.

In return for their donation, the World Wildlife Fund sent the students three stuffed animals that represent the ones they helped protect.

This spring, the Ecology Club plans to raise worms and feed them organic discards from students’ lunches. The resulting compost will then be used to fertilize the garden in Elmwood’s courtyard.

A highlight for Ecology Club members took place on Feb. 9, when the students enjoyed a field trip to the Great Lakes Recycling Center in New Boston.

“That was my favorite activity. It was really cool,” said fourth-grader Phoebe Golicic. “I’ve learned that if we don’t recycle, our whole earth will be covered in garbage.”

Golicic and her fellow Ecology Club members will deliver that message to other students when they present brief skits and talks about their group and what they have learned from visiting the recycling center.

The Elmwood Ecology Club boasts 39 members who meet twice a month during their recess and occasionally after school.

“We are pleased at the level of enthusiasm and commitment from the students in the Ecology Club. They seem to have a real desire to actively participate in ecologically sound practices,” Knapp said.