Composting Program Launches at Elementary School in Clarksville

Students at Pointers Run Elementary School learned a big lesson on the first day of school: their ideas make a difference.

Last spring, fourth-grade students in Deborah Hantman’s class wrote letters to the county government and school system requesting that Howard County’scurbside composting program for residents be extended to their school.

“It would be great if the students could get some kind of response so they know that their letters were received and that they have the power to make a difference,” Hantman wrote, according to a statement from Howard County government.

On Monday, besides getting used to traditional first-day-of-school things—like teacher and class schedules—students at Pointers Run Elementary found a new place to put their food.

Bright yellow food scrap collection bins were placed in the cafeteria and staff lounge at the elementary school in Clarksville. County and school system officials posted signage to make sure students knew what could be composted, in an effort that they say is the first of its kind in the area.

“We believe this is the ... only public school that is doing food scrap pickup and making its way toward zero-waste,” County Executive Ken Ulman told WBAL Radio.

The Howard County Department of Public Works will collect the food scraps twice a week and keep track so that students can follow how much they are composting, according to a statement from Howard County government.

“I am so glad to see our students taking action,” said Howard County PUblic School System Superintendent Renee Foose, “and learning that when they work together toward a positive goal, they can make a difference.”

Ulman said that residentially, composting is being extended throughout the county and the idea is to expand it within the school system as well.

Photo Credit: Howard County Government/YouTube. County Executive Ken Ulman at Pointers Run Elementary School on Aug. 25, 2014.