Learning

ServiceWhat Is Service-Learning? ■ It is a method of encouraging student learning and

development through active participation in though

fully organized service that is conducted in, and

meets the needs of, a community.

■ It involves an elementary school, secondary schoo

institution of higher education, or community servic

program, along with the community.

■ It helps foster civic responsibility.

■ It is integrated into, and enhances, the academic

curriculum or the educational components of the

community service program in which the participants are enrolled.

■ It provides structured time for students or participants to reflect on the service experience.

Acknowledgements

EPA would like to thank the Corporation for National and Community Service for its as

identifying case studies and reviewing this document prior to publication.
i

Difference:

Service-Learning as a Solid Was

Education Experience

S

ervice-learning is more than just a buzzword for communit

volunteering. By participating in an environmental service-

project, you are making a difference in your future and the 

our planet. Service-learning goes beyond what is learned in the 

It is hands-on experience. Students gain new skills by working d

with the community. Service-learning enhances students’ valuab

ic skills, including communication, team-building, and

critical-thinking; builds their self-esteem; and

develops their sense of responsibility for

decision-making. 

The types of service-learning

projects students in grades

K–12 are doing throughout

the country are very

diverse. They range from

starting a recycling or

composting program to

preserving native plants,

to setting aside time

after school to teach

young children to read. 
ii

ing projects that focus on various aspects

of safe solid waste management, such as

reducing household hazardous waste and

buying recycled-content products. Each

profile includes contacts who can provide

information on how to start a similar

program in your area. Additional

resources, including grants that can help

you start a project, are located in the back

of this booklet. 

Whether you are looking for ideas to start a

program in your school or a service project in your neighborho

projects in this booklet will help jump-start your efforts. Servic

projects are one of the best ways to make an environmental diff

you and your community.

For More Information:

EPA Docket/OSWER Team

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (5305T)

Washington, DC 20460

Phone: 800 424-9346

(TDD: 800 553-7672)

Fax: 202 566-0272
Kids and Governments & Businesses . 

“Real World” Recycling: Winston Middle School—

Winston, Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

On the Road Again: La Quinta High School—

La Quinta, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Students Graduate to Safe Disposal: Montgomery Co

High Schools—Montgomery County, Maryland . . . . 

Old Computers Find New Homes: Chippewa Valley

Technology Charter School—Eau Claire, Wisconsin 

Upholding Village Values: Mount Sanford Tribal

Consortium—Chistochina and Mentasta, Alaska . . 

Kids and Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Working with Worms: Earthworks Junior Master Comp

Program—Grapevine, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Blazing the Trail to Recycling: Seward Trailblazers 4-H

Club—Nobles County, Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

From 4-H to “3 Rs”: 4H CAPITAL Program—

Austin, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Stewardship in Action: Groundwork Providence, Inc.—

Providence, Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

From Paper to Flowerpots: Thayer County Cooperativ

Extension Agency—Hebron, Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . 

iii
iv

Kids and Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Charged Up About Recycling: Burlington Township H

School—Burlington, New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Mentoring To Make a Difference: Stonington High Sch

Pawcatuck, Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Remove, Recycle, Reuse: Oxford Academy—

Oxford, New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Students Become Teachers: Smyrna Primary—

Smyrna, Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Sights and Smells Inspire Action: McKinley Elementar

School—San Leandro, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

“Strut” Your Stuff: Eddyville School—

Eddyville, Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Thinking Globally, Working Locally: Beverly Hills High

School—Beverly Hills, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

More Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Kids and

Governments &

Businesses
Winston Middle School

Winston, Oregon

At a time when few homes and

businesses were recycling in

Winston, Oregon, the eighthgrade class at Winston Middle School

helped make a lasting impact on local

businesses’ waste management efforts.

Students made numerous recycling presentations to the school board and city

council to encourage the community to

expand its efforts to reduce waste. In

addition, they performed 20 waste audits

in two years for interested companies, examining trash, weighing re

materials, and noting potential waste reduction opportunities. The 

then presented their findings—which included waste loss assessmen

current and potential costs and savings—to the companies. 

The project culminated in a town Earth Day event, complete with 

designed and staffed by students, teachers, and local government en

Through the project, students formed community connections and 

solid waste concepts, while business owners and employees offered i

environmental concerns in the corporate world. “Many of the stude

excelled in performing waste audits were not strong academic stude

Terri Peterson, project coordinator. “This project allowed students t

their individual talents outside the classroom, in a real-world atmos

Winston Middle School is no longer involved in the waste audit pro

success inspired Peterson to continue doing waste audits with other 

schools. She has already helped approximately 50 schools of all age 

duct internal waste audits to improve their own recycling programs

local high school performs waste audits for area businesses, includin

tal, pizza parlor, food bank, and nonprofit and commercial offices. T

dents plan to use the data they collect to encourage all downtown b

implement recycling programs. 

Contact:

Terri Pete

Douglas Count

Reduction and 

1036 South East Do

Room 2

Roseburg, OR 

Phone: 541 4

2
S

tudents in the La Quinta High School environmental club work wit

munity businesses and tribal organizations to collect and recycle tire

doned in a nearby desert. The recycling drive has taken place during 

weekend each year for the past two years.

Since the adoption of a state-wide law banning tires from disposal in landfills, more

people have illegally dumped tires in desert

areas in California. To help alleviate this

problem, the La Quinta environmental

club organizes a trip to remove and recycle

tires from a section of desert near Joshua

Tree National Park. 

The students are first notified by U.S.

Bureau of Land Management rangers

which areas of the desert have the most concentrated dumping sites. Th

students pass the information to Waste Management of the Desert—a l

private hauler—who places empty containers in the identified areas. We

protective gloves and safety vests, the students return to the site to colle

and place them in the containers. The hauler, who also provides lunches 

students on the collection day, takes the filled containers to First Nation

Recovery Incorporated, a tire recycling facility operated by the Cabazon 

“The students recycled eight tons of tires in the first year,” said Liz Bille

ence teacher at La Quinta who founded the environmental club. “Some 

tires were shredded and used to resurface area roads.” 

The tire recycling project

shows students firsthand what

happens to trash when it is not

properly disposed of. It also

allows them to work with local

businesses and state and tribal

organizations to make a difference in their community.

3

La Quinta High School

La Quinta, California

Contact:

Liz Bill

La Quinta Hig

79255 Westwar

La Quinta, CA 

Phone: 760 7

E-mail: lizb@surf.d
4

Montgomery County High Sc

Montgomery County, Maryland

I

n Montgomery County,

Maryland, high school students

learn that volunteering can be

just as important as classroom

studies. By assisting with the

county’s household hazardous

waste collection program, students

learn about solid waste issues and

earn credits toward graduation.

Montgomery County’s Master

Recycler/Composter Volunteer Program works with adult and stude

teers to operate collection events for recyclable materials that are no

accepted at the county transfer station. On household hazardous wa

tion days, unused paint, leftover household chemicals, and other m

cannot be disposed of safely in the trash are collected at the transfer 

other satellite locations. Events take place between March and Dece

or twice a month. Volunteers provide necessary logistical support to 

collections possible, reduce the cost of frequent collection, and allow 

disposal of these materials. 

Following a state mandate that students perform a set number of se

to qualify for graduation, large numbers of high school students beg

teering at collection events. Now more than 20 percent of the volun

ticipating in the collections are students. Typically, six to eight stude

teers work with adults to direct 250 to 665 cars per event. As part o

graduation requirement, the students write a paper to reflect on wh

they learned.

After observing how much household hazardous waste is collected f

in a single day, students began to understand the need for source re

such as buying only the amount they will use or selecting a less toxi

tive. In addition, the county used the household hazardous waste co

program as a model to begin a computer recycling collection progra

dent volunteers. Thanks to student efforts, the computer recycling p

successful that computers are now regularly accepted at the transfer 

Contact:

Jim Welch, Man

Montgomery County 

Recycler/Composter Volu

16101 Frederick 

Derwood, MD 2

Phone: 301 840-

E-mail: volunteers@mcr
5

Chippewa Valley Technology

Charter School

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

T

o help reduce the amount of hazardous

waste unknowingly disposed of when

throwing out obsolete electronics, students in a computer construction and network design class at Chippewa Valley

Technology Charter School in Eau Claire,

Wisconsin, participate in a service-learning

program called Computers Refurbished in

Schools (CRIS). The Wisconsin Department

of Natural Resources runs the CRIS project

in conjunction with Chippewa Valley Tech,

which serves nearby North and Memorial

high schools. The project’s goal is to keep obsolete computers out of lan

while providing students with educational, real-life work experience. 

North and Memorial students have been involved in refurbishing and rec

computers since 1998, and Chippewa Valley Tech won a state grant to p

pate in CRIS in 2000. In the classroom, students learn computer basics, 

ing how to diagnose and solve computer problems and install and upgrad

ating systems. They use this knowledge to refurbish or recycle computers 

ed by local businesses. The school then donates refurbished computers to 

United Way, which sells them to needy families 

non-profit businesses in the Eau Claire area. “Si

ting involved in CRIS, we’ve refurbished approx

100 computers per year,” said Ed Jeffers, a comp

construction and design teacher at North. Comp

that can’t be fixed are disassembled so that usabl

can be salvaged and the rest can be recycled.

Several students who have participated in the program have earned appr

ships with local businesses and advanced standing credits with a local te

college. Although the state grant has expired, the program continues to 

local support, and Chippewa Valley Tech plans to continue refurbishing 

recycling computers as long as they keep receiving donated computers.

Contact:

Ed Jeffers, Dam

Chippewa Valley 

Charter S

2700 Mercury 

Eau Claire, W

Phone: 715 83

715 839-

E-mail: ejeffers@e

dsmith1@ecasd
Mount Sanford Tribal Consort

Chistochina and Mentasta, Alaska

T

hrough the Mount Sanford Tribal

Consortium’s Whouy Sze Kiunalth

(“Teaching Our Many

Grandchildren”) service-learning program, 70 students in grades K–12 in the

villages of Chistochina and Mentasta,

Alaska, learned from their Elders and

others why caring for the land is 

important. 

One aspect of the program aims to teach

students and the community how to store and eliminate trash and h

hazardous waste in a safe manner. To this end, Elders participated in 

camp programs for kids and told stories about their ancestors’ way o

ing the land. In the fall, students and village members participated 

clean-up days. And students participated in periodic hazardous wast

hunts—collecting batteries, oil bottles, fuel cans, and other items th

discarded at their original Village sight, and then disposing of them 

recycling them.

Lessons from the program reverberated fro

dren to the larger community, and the vill

began to take action. Both Chistochina an

began building structures to support recyc

grams. Villagers are more careful to avoid 

addition, with input from the Elders and o

community developed the first culturally r

environmental curriculum, which is now b

by both school districts and is helping to inspire neighboring comm

begin similar service-learning programs.

“Everyone’s attitude has changed over these few years,” says Project 

Joan Herrmann. “People are making permanent changes to some ol

Kids are growing up learning how to be more responsible for their e

ment—they are learning to see the connections between the toxic w

toss on the ground and the river they take their fish from.”

Contact:

Joan Herr

Mount Sanford Trib

P.O. Box 

Mile 33 Tok 

Gakona, AK 

Phone: 907 

E-Mail: jjherrmann@

6
Kids and

Neighbors
8

Junior Master Composter Pro

Grapevine, Texas

S

tudents in the Earthworks Junior

Master Composter Program in

Grapevine, Texas, don’t mind getting

their hands dirty. In fact, they’ve taken it

upon themselves to spread the word in

Grapevine and throughout the South

that composting and organic recycling

can help reduce waste. 

According to a Texas Governor’s Report, up to 70 percent of the sta

stream is organic. Inspired by that fact, the Junior Master Compost

decided to increase children’s awareness of the positive role they can 

waste reduction at home and at school through composting. They a

learning how worms can help them compost organic materials thro

process known as “vermicomposting.”

Through the program, fifth and sixth graders learn about compostin

micomposting in a four-hour course that teaches them how to turn 

grass, and food scraps into “black gold,” or compost. The course tea

the history of garbage and landfills, the definition of organic materi

principles of composting. Participating schools receive a co

thermometer, manual, resource books, and worm 

attending the class, each student spends an addition

hours teaching parents and neighbors to compost yard 

or working with other students at school compostin

stration sites. To receive their Junior Master Co

certificate, students must commit to teachi

two others about the fundamentals of com

Over the past six years, the Ear

Junior Master Composter Progr

by 10 grants, has reached 20,000 

250 schools, zoos, and nature cen

the South. The program has al

an additional 200 classroom in

Contact:

Larry Wil

Grapevine Parks a

P.O. Box 9

Grapevine, T

Phone: 817 4
Most residents of Seward Township in southwestern Minnesota ha

considered recycling because the closest recycling center was 25 

away. Instead, they used to burn or bury all of their refuse. Than

the work of a local 4-H Club, however (an organization dedicated to co

nity service and education), recycling in this rural part of Minnesota is n

way of life. 

It all started in response to a severe drought,

which led to a ban on burning. The approximately 60 members (ages 7 to 19) of the

Seward Trailblazers 4-H Club had just completed a lesson on recycling taught by Wayne

Smith, the Environmental Director for

Nobles County. The group decided the ban

was a perfect opportunity to use what they

had learned to educate their community

about recycling. 

The Trailblazers started an annual education campaign including mailin

door-to-door visits to each resident of Seward Township. They also info

residents about the six new 96-gallon containers set up by the Trailblaze

side the township hall to serve as a convenient recycling drop-off site. R

could use the containers, supplied by Nobles County Environmental Se

(NCES) to drop off plastic, paper, glass, and corrugated cardboard. NC

would then pick up the recyclables and take them to the Nobles County

Recycling Center, located in Worthington, Minnesota. Two additional 5

lon containers were set up to collect aluminum cans. The Trailblazers pl

to use the deposits from these cans to support their activities.

Although the ban was only in place for about 30 days, Seward Township 

dents started recycling and now recycle about 340 pounds every 10 days

keep up with the amount of recyclables collected, the Trailblazers added 

more containers and built a new recycling drop-off building with mone

the aluminum can deposits. They also plan to offer residents 15-gallon r

cling containers for a small fee. The project has been so successful that n

boring townships have expressed an interest in starting similar programs

Seward Trailblazers 4-H Club

Nobles County, Minnesota

Contact:

Wayne Sm

Nobles County En

Directo

P.O. Box 

Worthington, 

Phone: 507 3

9
10

Program

Austin, Texas

S

eventh- and eighth-grade students in

a 4-H after-school program in

Austin, Texas, are learning about

waste issues using the “three Rs”—

reduce, reuse, and recycle—and are

spreading the message to their

community.

After studying the “three Rs” in school,

students at Martin Junior High worked

with teachers to redesign their 4-H curriculum to incorporate lessons on reducing, reusing, and recycling. 

dents promoted their new curriculum to other Texas 4-H groups an

decided to spread the message to the community, setting up a comp

play at a local environmental education center and producing a 10-

educational video. The Travis County M

Composters organization has included t

part of its resource library for adults who 

youth, and the composting display is vis

more than 3,000 students and teachers e

a project funded by a National 4-H Cou

the students also developed a Web page 

and tips on waste issues to promote the 

worldwide. 

The students also use community events such as Austin’s Science Fu

an opportunity to teach others about environmental issues. They re

taught more than 200 younger students about the importance of “b

bugs” in breaking down waste materials through composting.

This successful youth-led collaboration teaches the importance of u

ing the waste cycle, and participants develop a sense of pride and ac

while learning the importance of protecting the environment. The p

between Martin and 4-H has been recognized by Austin Corporate 

Council’s 2000 Environmental Vision as the “Best of the Best,” and 

Corporate Recycling Council’s 2000 awards for schools and univers

Contact:

Lillianne G

Travis County A

Extension S

1600 B Smit

Austin, TX 

Phone: 512 4

E-mail: l-goeder
11

Groundwork Providence, Inc. Providence, Rhode Island

H

igh school students in Providence, Rhode Island, are learning to be 

ards of their community by teaching their neighbors about local en

mental issues and being role models for younger children.

Led by educators from the nonprofit organization Groundwork Provide

local affiliate of Groundwork USA, a national community and environm

group, students participate in a program known as the Education Team 

Team). Each year, this team—comprised of

Providence students between the ages of 14

and 18—is involved with developing, organizing, and implementing an environmental

after-school club and a summer environmental education camp for kids in grades K–6.

Students also serve as mentors for elementary

school children.

E-Team members attend regular training

workshops and participate in field trips to

learn about a variety of environmental issues

affecting their local community. For example, to learn about proper soli

management, students covered the issues of brownfields, trash containm

recycling, and household hazardous waste. After the training, E-Team m

share their newly acquired knowledge with the club and camp participa

leading service projects, such as cleaning up vacant lots, stenciling storm 

and educating community members about recycling and proper trash co

ment by providing brochures, sample recycling bins, and trash cans with 

Together the E-Team members and the club and camp participants prod

newsletter as a record of their achievements and a community outreach 

Most recently, E-Team members partnered with Providence’s Neighborh

Task Force on Recycling and created new educational lessons and projec

the club and camp children they serve. The projects are designed to bro

the reach of earlier neighborhood recycling campaigns by using grassroo

cation and outreach to promote awareness about the importance of recy

This project also aims to increase recycling rates throughout the city of

Providence.

Contact:

Sally Tur

Groundwork P

69 Washingto

Providence, R

Phone: 401 3

E-mail: sally_turne
As part of a school enrichment program

promoting volunteerism, firstthrough sixth-grade students in

Nebraska learned how to use recycled-content paper to make flowerpots, which they

gave to “adopted grandparents” at area elder

care communities. 

Crystal Fangmeier of the Thayer County

Cooperative Extension Agency developed the

program to show children that “just because

you throw something away, that doesn’t mean it’s gone.” More than 100 

dents from six classrooms at public, private, and parochial schools in a t

county area participated. First, they learned about the concepts of recyc

reuse. Then, with shredded paper from a local hospital, they created pap

pulp. Using little cups as molds, they shaped the paper pulp into starter 

let them dry for a week, and planted flowers for their adopted grandpar

The students were encouraged to tell the recipients h

they made the pots and to talk about recycling 

them. 

This ongoing project enabled the students t

only reduce the amount of paper thrown aw

each year, but also to form a co

tion with the elderly. After the 

gram, students told Ms.

Fangmeier that they 

tinued to reduce pa

waste by coloring th

own wrapping paper, usin

paper, and recycling the 

they used.

12

Thayer County Cooperative

Extension Agency

Hebron, Nebraska

Contact:

Crystal Fan

Thayer County 

Extensi

225 North Four

Hebron, NE 

Phone: 402 7
Kids and School
After learning about the environmental problems associated with

household battery disposal, students at Burlington Township High

School in New Jersey developed a battery

recycling program for their hometown.

Eleventh and twelfth grade students in

Shirley Pires’ “Community Issues” class, an elective directed primar

dents, chose several community issues they wanted to learn about in 

2001 school year. After selecting the environment, homelessness, an

as areas they wanted to cover, they developed service programs (such 

fundraisers or community outreach projects) for each. One student 

to coordinate each project. 

As part of the unit on the environment, students learned about haz

household waste and recycling. Students became particularly interes

household battery waste, including how long batteries take to break 

the subsequent chemicals released into the environment. They decid

a battery recycling program in their school.

First, students collected soda and laundry bottles and con

into battery collection containers by washing them out, 

the tops, and re-labeling them with computer-generated l

Students distributed these containers, along with flyers expla

project, to teachers and offices throughout the school. News o

gram spread, and teachers from the four other schools within the 

asked to become involved. Students also involved parents and comm

members by developing additional informational materials to send h

distribute in the district. Eventually, children began coming to scho

teries from home to be recycled. Students collected the recycling bin

from each school. At the end of the school year, the local recycling 

lected more than 500 pounds of batteries from all the schools comb

The program is continuing this year and is so popular that relatives an

from other towns now drop off their batteries at Burlington Township 

fact, the recycling center must now pick up more than one load of bat

14

Burlington Township High Sch

Burlington, New Jersey Contact:

Shirley P

Burlington Townsh

610 Fountain 

Burlington, N

Phone: 609 3
15

Stonington High School

Pawcatuck, Connecticut

After successfully starting their own recycling program, Stonington 

School students in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, became mentors to 

other schools around them.

Students began by forming an after-school recycling committee to help

improve the existing recycling program in their own school. The comm

took charge of recycling white paper and expanded the program to inclu

cans, plastic bottles, colored paper, and light bulbs. The committee also 

suaded school officials to start buying recycled paper. The improved recy

program won a state award, inspiring the students to use their program 

model for other schools. 

To help other schools improve their recycling

programs, students began a mentoring program, which involved making videos of their

activities and conducting presentations about

recycling and its benefits. Students filmed the

tours they took of a recycling plant and a

waste-to-energy plant and prepared a video

series on special topics such as product life

cycles. The students used the videos to develop a presentation about their recycling program, which they shared at school functions

at district elementary and middle schools, at

a meeting of state school superintendents,

and with community officials to help raise recycling awareness.

The program helped students become involved in recycling and also hel

spread the message to younger students and to the community. “We are 

a path in education at the high school level that middle and elementary 

dents can walk along,” said Bill Garraty, a teacher at Stonington High. N

its third year, the recycling committee has evolved into a broad environm

group that covers a wide variety of issues, including nuclear power, fishe

and reforestation.

Contact:

Bill Garr

Stonington Hig

176 South Broa

Pawcatuck, C

Phone: 860 5

E-mail: zaderi
E

ach year since 1999, the entire

fourth grade (approximately 90 students) at Oxford Academy has taken

part in a year-long service-learning program that is fully integrated into the

New York State school curriculum. 

The program starts with a visit by a representative from the North Norwich

Waste Management Facility (NNWMF) who talks to the students a

the importance of recycling, and the types of recyclables to look for 

parts of the community. Students then spend part of one day in the 

ty removing trash from playgrounds, near the river, public benches, 

grounds, and in front of business establishments.

Students take the materials they collect to NNWMF where the sam

tative teaches the fourth graders about how materials are recycled an

them an opportunity to be a part of the recycling process. Students 

materials they collected and separate them into recyclable and non-

items. Last year students removed 116 pounds of garbage from the 

Back in the classroom, lesson plans continu

grate the recycling theme. Students graph 

and type of garbage collected by geograph

In science class, students learn about differ

garbage, including biodegradable products

brainstorm different uses of biodegradable 

They read poetry about the environment an

write poems of their own on recycled paper 

ed. “Students benefit by not only gaining a 

standing of their environment, but by 

respect for their community,” sai

grade teacher Glenn Van Hou

This year, students also decid

art from the materials they coll

display the projects throughout 

16

Oxford Academy

Oxford, New York Contact:

Heidi Fos

Service-Learning 

The Pla

P.O. Box 

Norwich, 

Phone: 607 3
17

Smyrna Primary

Smyrna, Tennessee

F

ourth graders in Smyrna, Tennessee, work with other children and t

parents to increase awareness of recycling and promote participation 

school’s recycling program. 

Smyrna’s current recycling program was inspired by a one-year pilot pro

which fourth graders taught preschoolers about recycling, set up recyclin

in the preschool classroom, and helped the younger children collect, sor

count materials. The older students planned lessons on recycling, design

booklet on how to get others involved in recycling, and taught the presc

students how to make toys and games from recyclable materials. “The preschool children

became so involved in the recycling project

that their class often won the recycling

awareness award at our academic celebrations,” said Carla Sartin, a special education

teacher at Smyrna Primary. 

Following the success of this project, the

fourth-grade students started the school’s

existing recycling program, setting up more

bins around the school and counting the total number of recyclables bro

in every six weeks. To encourage other students to recycle, the fourth gr

award prizes to the grade level that brings in the most recyclables, the to

cler in each class, and the top recycler school wide. By the end of the 20

2001 school year, Smyrna students had recycled more than 65,000 piece

trash, and the numbers are expected to rise in following school years. Th

fourth graders also took part in a special community recycling project in

2001—a telephone book collection project sponsored by a local recyclin

organization.

Through this ongoing program, students use math and communication 

to tabulate recyclables and promote recycling, while learning a sense of 

sibility for the environment. In addition, students become teachers in th

own homes, working closely with their parents to share and apply their 

knowledge.

Contact:

Carla Sa

Smyrna Pr

P.O. Box 

Smyrna, TN 

Phone: 615 4
S

tudents at McKinley Elementary

School in San Leandro, California,

became waste reduction detectives

after visiting their county’s largest transfer station. By discovering the sights and

smells of the large garbage pit, thirdgrade students decided to investigate

waste reduction options in their school.

A team of second, third, and fourth

grade teachers encouraged their students

to collaborate on a waste reduction strategy for the school. Armed w

boards, the students explored the school campus to learn where was

erated. They recorded their findings and created charts of the amou

types of waste produced in classrooms, lunchrooms, and other areas 

school. Back in their own c

students and teachers discu

data, then brainstormed sol

developed suggestions for im

ing campus-wide change to 

school’s waste management 

To encourage awareness and 

recycling among their peers

dents informed their fellow 

what materials could be rec

then placed a paper recyclin

every classroom. In the months following, teams of students conduc

classroom waste audits twice a week to monitor progress toward inc

recycling in their school. Classes with no recyclables in the garbage 

rewarded with prizes and an announcement over the public address 

This public recognition inspired other classes to participate and recy

“This was an extremely exciting project for the students,” said Karla 

teacher involved with the project. “Not all classes were recycling at 

cent. We saw an increase in classroom recycling over the school year 

a better understanding of how change is created one classroom at a 

18

McKinley Elementary School

San Leandro, California

Contact:

Karla B

McKinley Elemen

2150 East 14t

San Leandro, C

Phone: 510 6
19

Asmall, rural K–12 school in Eddyville,

Oregon, really knows how to strut its stuff.

The “Strut,” or “Students Recycling Used

Technology,” Program, initiated in 1998 at Eddyville School, promotes 

cling of old computer hardware into renewed, refurbished components 

in classrooms, school computer labs, and students’ homes. Strut provide

opportunities for high school students to learn about equipment and tec

gy through a hands-on approach, while helping rescue “technological tra

from landfills and installing it in educational settings where it can enhan

instruction.

“Strut is the auto shop of the new millennium,” says Don McDonald, principal of

Eddyville School. “It allows students to work

with their hands rather than paper and pencil, and it gives them the technological

awareness and skills they need to enter into

today’s world.” Using an inquiry-based

approach, teacher Robert Pearson encourages

students’ problem-solving skills and sense of

responsibility. 

Small and large businesses, community members, and public agen

donate used or outdated computers and technical equipment to 

Students tear down the equipment and upgrade components, re

ble units, and then distribute the equipment based on student a

trict needs. Over the last three years, more than 300 computers 

been “recycled” and made available for student use. Students also 

vide follow-up services related to the computers they have reclaim

Student technicians install, se

and troubleshoot the comp

hardware to ensure probl

and efficient use.

Judging by students’ reactions, the program is a tremendous success. “T

the only class I look forward to during the day,” said one student. “I fin

found ‘Nerd-vana’,” another reported. 

Eddyville School

Eddyville, Oregon

Contact:

Don McDona

Robert Pe

P.O. Box 

Eddyville, O

Phone: 541 8
20

H

ailing from Iran, Korea, Russia,

Israel, and other international locations, Beverly Hills High School

students worked together to bring recycling to their community.

After learning how materials such as

paper and plastics are made and what

happens to those materials once they are

discarded, the sophomores, juniors, and

seniors in Sarah Utley’s Life Science class

designed a project to establish a recycling

program at their school. Ms. Utley used curriculum materials from 

service-learning workshop organized by Generation Earth, an enviro

education program of the Los Angeles County Department of Publ

guide the students in creating a successful program.

Students broke into small workgroups to help make their case for a 

wide recycling program. One group performed a waste audit to doc

need for recycling. Another group talked with the city manager and 

disposal facilities about the feasibility of starting recycling at the sch

ing the cost of hauling the recyclable materials and the revenue from 

and can deposit refunds. Other groups interviewed students and tea

gauge awareness of waste disposal problems, concern for waste redu

and opinions on a school recycling program. The responses—incorp

a video presentation—mostly favored the students’ efforts.

The project culminated in an oral and v

tation to the school principal. The princ

approval, and the students are now work

the student council on implementatio

According to Ms. Utley, these first a

generation American students gaine

pride and self-confidence by creatin

pleting the project themselves and m

ference in their community.

Locally: Beverly Hills High S

Beverly Hills, California

Contact:

Sarah U

Beverly Hills 

241 Moren

Beverly Hills, 

Phone: 310 551-

E-mail: sarahutle
21

Resources

Corporation for National and Community Service

1201 New York Avenue, NW.

Washington, DC 20525

Phone: 202 606-5000

Phone: TDD 202 565-2799

Web site: www.nationalservice.org

The Corporation for National Service was chartered by Congress in 199

vide a broad range of opportunities to Americans of all ages and backgro

serve their communities and the nation. One of its grant programs, Lea

Serve America, supports service-learning programs in schools, colleges, a

munity organizations that engage nearly one million youth in the areas 

tion, public safety, the environment, and other human needs. 

Learn and Serve America/National Service-Learning Clea

ETR Associates

P.O. Box 1830

Santa Cruz, CA 95061

Phone: 866 245-SERV (7378)

Fax: 831 430-9471

Web site: www.servicelearning.org

This informational Web site, funded by the Corporation for National S

designed to support Learn and Serve America grantees, as well as other 

engaged in service-learning. The site includes information about service

resources, a listserv, and other helpful tools.

F

or more information about service-learning progra

grants, and ideas, contact your state’s community 

ice commission or education department. The fol

ing national organizations also are involved in coordin

or funding service-learning projects.
22

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Phone: 301 961-2800

E-mail: info@fourhcouncil.edu

Web site: www.fourhcouncil.edu

The 4-H Environmental Stewardship Program offers grants, curricula, a

resource and reference materials to help youth address local environmen

The program works to bring young people, their families, and commun

er in environmental projects. Youth are encouraged to become catalysts 

and generators of knowledge.

Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. National Headquarters

420 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10018-2798

Phone: 800 GSUSA4U (478-7248) or 212 852-8000

Web site: www.girlscouts.org

Girl Scouts from age 5 to 17 and their leaders are involved in environm

ties in their communities. All Girl Scouts can earn recognition for activi

learning about landfills, recycling, participating in community cleanups

recycled paper, or promoting clean water and conservation. 

Boy Scouts of America

National Council

Boy Scouts of America

P.O. Box 152079

Irving, TX 75015-2079

Web site: www.bsa.scouting.org

Traditionally involved in many outdoor activities, Boy Scouts strive to b

zens that treat their environment responsibly. Through a conservation p

scouts learn about the use of natural resources, collaborate on communi

with local, state, or federal environmental organizations, and receive aw

projects that inform the public about the importance of environmental 
23

1230 West Peachtree Street, NW.

Atlanta, GA 30309

Phone: 404 815-5700

Web site: www.bgca.org

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America help youth from all backgrounds—

disadvantaged children—develop the qualities they need to become resp

zens and leaders. Various programs promote community service projects

mental awareness, and other related initiatives.

Take A Class Outdoors: A Guidebook for Environmental Se

Learning National Dropout Prevention Center

Clemson University

209 Martin Street

Clemson, SC 29634-0726

Phone: 864 656-2599

Fax: 864 656-0136

E-mail: ndpc@clemson.edu

Web site: www.dropoutprevention.org

Designed to inform educators and administrators about environmental 

learning and its positive effect on students, this guide includes sections o

a program, adapting curricula, obtaining funding, and involving the com

Published in 1998, the book contains detailed project ideas for various a

and offers success stories from other service-learning programs. 
24

Hopefully, our service-learning guide has provided you with some i

your own school-based or community service-learning project. Here 

more great project ideas:

■ Multifamily Dwelling Collection Days—start a volunteer p

picks up recyclables or coordinates household hazardous collection 

apartment complexes or other multifamily residential areas.

■ Vehicles for Seniors—provide seniors with transportation to 

recycling or establish a weekly pick-up system within senior citiz

nities.

■ Cafeteria Recycling/Sorting Days—help your school beco

environmentally sound by starting a cafeteria recycling/sorting p

packaging or food waste.

■ Used Clothing or Furniture/Collection Days—start a nei

campaign and collection system and donate all goods to homele

Design and distribute flyers to encourage neighborhood particip

■ Moving Days—establish a volunteer service aimed at helping p

are moving into or out of your neighborhood locate recycling fa

properly dispose of household hazardous waste.

■ Senior Partners—start a volunteer program that pairs youth wi

izens to give talks to local citizen groups and schools about the imp

safely managing solid and household hazardous waste.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mission:

To protect human health and the environment

EPA Office of Solid Waste Mission:

To ensure responsible management of hazardous an

nonhazardous waste

EPA Office of Solid Waste Goals:

■ To conserve resources by preventing waste

■ To reduce the waste that cannot be 

prevented

■ To ensure that all waste is properly disposed of

One key initiative that OSW has taken to achieve

these goals is to continue its education and outreach

efforts through environmental service-learning.
1EPA

United States Environmental Protection Agency(5306W)Washington, DC 20460Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use $300EPA530-K-02-001September 2002