Roosevelt Elementary School was awarded a $5000 grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology. The Department of Ecology’s “Waste Not Washington” grants were awarded to 20 schools statewide to support school sustainability projects. 

At Roosevelt, staff and students live out the BEAR Expectations every day—Be safe, Act responsibly, Expect success, and Respect all.  One way the school can do this is by becoming more responsible for natural resources. Through its Roosevelt Bears Replace, Reduce, and Recycle project, school staff, students, and families are empowered to act responsibly in the cafeteria. In the spring of 2021, the school made key purchases supported by grant funds that replaced single-use items in the cafeteria with reusable ones and expanded its food waste reduction and recycling programs.  Students in Grades 3-5 serve in Student Leadership and run a weekly recycling program.  Students in Mrs. Jenell Crosier’s 3rd-grade class are piloting a composting program.  For more information on the Deparment of Ecology’s Waste Not Washington grants, visit https://ecology.wa.gov/Blog/Posts/November-2021/Award-program-supports-waste-reduction-and-recycli. 

Source: Yakima School District