The WAR (We Always Recycle)

Julie Warr

Potter Street Elementary School, 725 Potter Street Bainbridge GA 39819

The WAR (We Always Recycle) Project

The classroom for students with moderate intellectual disabilities several years ago began the WAR (We Always Recycle) Project. These students went to WAR against litter and excess waste in and around their school. We were able to eliminate one of two industrial size dumpster that collected materials that could be recycled. The program began with recycling paper and cardboard and had expanded to recycling of plastic bottles, printer cartridges, plastic drink rings, cell phones, aluminum cans, Box Tops for Education coupons, Campbell Labels, Pure Life Water Labels, and tennis balls. All recycling comes through our doorway to be sorted, counted, and bagged for storage and processing. This class works in conjunction with the local recycling center to process all the materials that are recycled from our school. The local recycling center provides jobs for adults with disabilities. Our program has been the catalyst and motivation for other schools in our county to recycle. Out of the six elementary, two middle and one high school Potter Street has turned in approximately 51% of all material recycled by the schools within the school year.

These students are learning skills such as responsibility, dedication, scheduling, and proper maintenance of materials and equipment while implementing this program. This class consists of 11-14 students from Kindergarten to 5th grade. Many of these students are in this class of six years, so by the time they leave this class they know a lot about recycling. To keep the motivation up and the students interested we search for many strategies and activities to provide to the students. We use the computer everyday in the classroom for these students to learn letter skills, writing skills and copying skills. Using the Tool Factory Word Processor and the digital camera with the recycling program will give students a daily option to work on writing and photography skills. Students have used Powerpoint software to make slide shows for other classes to view in the past, but with the Tool Factory Word Processing program students will be able to write and refine information that they accumulate for each presentation that they develop. Many of these students cannot write independently, but with help can identify letters and basic words. The features that the Tool Factory Word Processing program has will elevate what these students can accomplish. The photography will be a great help in their identifying events that happens with the recycling program. They will also be able to develop their own schedules with the use of photos and words. With a wide range of ages in my classroom I have to provide a variety of levels of materials and software that is applicable to all my students.

Being such a big part of the recycling program students get a feeling of ownership of the school as well as being successful in helping teach other classes about the recycling process. As part of our instructional aspect of the recycling program I am the teacher who dresses up like “Dr. Recycling” and takes some of my students with me to regular education classes to teach what is and is not appropriate to recycle for our program. My students feel like they are “experts” in the area of recycling. With the use of the Digital camera and the Tool Factory Word Processor program students can take pictures teaching other students and build information pages as well as school flyers or pamphlets about the program. Using these materials will benefit each child, since they do not normally have the opportunity to use cameras independently. Teaching them how to take a picture will be a challenge in itself, but the outcome is what is important. They will be able to use materials and equipment with expertise. Students will not be able to learn how to use equipment if they never have the opportunity. Giving that opportunity is the first step in their learning. Our recycling program began as a small classroom activity; it has grown into a local, state and nationally recognized program that encourages everyone to be part of the recycling activity. Students have involved parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and neighbors to contribute to our much important program. With the use of The Tool Factory Word Processor and the Digital Camera we will be able to spread the word about our program and instill the importance of recycling to the next generation.