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1,000 projects and counting!
Chris Clegg
for Spotlight
Sunset House School is ready to celebrate an achievement few schools attain.
The school is attaining Earth School status from Society Environmental Energy and Development Studies, meaning they have competed 1,000 environmental and/or recycling projects.
Not bad for a school with only 24 students and three pre-schoolers.
“We’ve been working on it for a long time,” says principal Judy Rieu. “You have to keep a tally. It almost seems insurmountable to get to 1,000.”
The school reached the lofty goal just before Christmas. Ironically, Rieu planned the milestone project to be the school’s efforts on planning the Earth Day celebration, scheduled for April 22.
School staff say there is no doubt Rieu is the driving force behind the award.
“I’ve never seen a school so involved in recycling,” says teacher Pam Sware. “You don’t dare bring in styrofoam. Here, all paper get reclined.”
In fact, staff fondly refer to Rieu as the ‘Styrofoam Nazi’ because she detests it so much.
“I’m the Recycling Queen,” admits Rieu, who returned to Sunset House in 1997 after leaving for seven years. “It’s become a passion. We’re not doing it for ourselves; we’re doing it for our grandchildren. It’s a driving force for me.
“It’s just a matter of getting things done and keeping a tally,” she adds, saying students keep her motivated.
Every project is recorded on a sheet which is hung in the main hallway so students can see the progress being made. On the list are projects such as separating cans and paper, Christmas decoration CDs, re-using old paper, outdoor education activities, recycling bookmarks, school yard cleanup, planting trees, etc. Schools are allowed to use the same project each month, i.e. recycling cans and bottles in September, October, November, etc. Even most of the Science Fair projects are geared toward the eivironment.
Rieu says the school has peaked in the low 40s to mid-20s in the number of students. They have two full-time teachers and 2-3 support staff.
Students are eager to keep the program going after all the years. Grade 6 student Karsten Havell takes recycling material to the recycling depot once a month.
“Paper from here and from the staff room,” he says.
Grade 4 student Jessie Havell says she recycles milk jugs at home while Cody Mulligan, also a Grade 4 student, recycles bottles and cans from ditches and picks up plastic bags.
“So the deer don’t choke on it and die,” she says.
Tarah Aldrich says she also recycles paper, cans and plastic.
“I learned this from my parents and in school,” says the Grade 4 student.
Grade 6 student Amy Mulligan says she is doing a Science project on recycling.
“I’m going to se how long it takes something to dissolve in dirt,” she says.
Mulligan is going to use orange peels in gravel, sandy soil and potting soil.
Students not only learn how to recycle but why.
“So there will be less waste into the Earth and we don’t use as much energy,” says Grade 5 student Leah Ringen.
The school also recycles batteries and cell phones. Students use cloth bags to bring belonging and lunch to school, not plastic or they feel the wrath of other students.
Plans for the big celebration April 22 tentatively include visits from dignitaries including local MLAs Mel Knight and Pearl Calahasen, students singing songs, presentations, an assembly and visits from students from Driftpile and Valleyview. In the afternoon, Sunset House students will set up their environmental and Science fair projects in the gym.
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Sunset House kindergarten student Holly Mulligan, left, watches principal Judy Rieu add another recycling project on the list. Rieu has monitored the list which is pinned on a wall in the hallway for all students to see how they are progressing.
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Kindergarten to Grade 3 students pose with the school’s Earth School banner which they have already earned and received. Beginning in the bottom left and proceeding clockwise are Ethan Hudkins, Ben Havell, Leia King, Travis Nicholson-Pasieka, Allisen Craig, Michaela Haland, Emily Coad, Holly Mulligan, Keenan Aldrich, Samuel Ringen and Dixie Rutt.
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Students began planting their herb garden at the school Feb. 17. Michaela Haland, left, and Allisen Craig, each planted gardens including marjoram, basil, parsley, chives and oregano.
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