Roseville Students at Williams Elementary are Going Green

Each day the children at Emmet D. Williams Elementary School fill the cafeteria garbage containers to the rim with food waste and leftovers.  

But due to the efforts of three determined fourth graders, who want to reduce their school's that food waste,  that may soon become an act of the past. And the students' plans for a food recycling program, an idea first between friends  is now spreading to other schools in the Roseville school district.

The initiative began with Jillian Anderson, Elyse Colihan and Henry Marek, the "Green Team," who were concerned  about the food waste at their school. 

The three students said they hoped their school could compost instead of contributing to the growing number of food waste products. The Green Team did research, made banners and handed out flyers in advance of meeting with EDW Principal Stacie Stanley. Stanley said she was impressed with the Green Team's  hard work and spirit but told them composting couldn't be done.   

However, after some of her own research, Stanley said she found a couple other schools in the district participate in a food-recycling program, by partnering with a local pig farmer. That was the idea the Green Team embraced, and Stanley sent the three students to present their plan for a food recycling program 

With the PTA on board, Stanley said her school is now ready to begin implementing the program that promotes green schools through  food recycling. 

“The Green Team is ready to put the plan into action in the fall, with hopes of installing it as a district wide program within the 2012-2013 school year,” Stanley said.

Next year, the three students also plan to weed the school’s arboretum and organize an event to raise funds to purchase energy efficient light bulbs for the school. 

Given its dedication, Green Team is unlikely to stop there. “We are going to keep thinking of ideas next year and the year after that," Elyse said. "When we move onto high school and college, we will use our ideas there too.”  

So what is motivating the three students? They credit their parents, noting they learned at home about the importance of recycling. 

“Both the PTA and myself are incredibly proud of the heart and soul that the kids have put into this program,” Stanley said. “They are amazing young people; it’s all because of them that this is happening."

Added Williams School fourth grade teacher  Phyllis Sandberg: “These students each bring distinctive, valuable qualities to the group. Whether it’s organization or artistic abilities, they are working side by side as a team to better their school.”