Grades of Green Youth Corps student Sydney W. launched campus composting at Lunada Bay Elementary school to help her school community take action to care for the earth. Sydney has been a part of the Youth Corps Eco-Leadership program for two years, and after successfully hosting a water conservation challenge for the second grade classrooms last year, she was interested in reviving the school’s composting program this year. Sydney recruited friends to join her, and worked with the principal and her Grades of Green Advisor to develop a plan to collect compostable food waste in the lunch area every Tuesday. On January 31st, Sydney made announcements at the start of each lunch period to explain to students what belongs in the compost collection bucket, and how the collected food scraps would be composted in the school garden. Sydney and her friends walked around the lunch tables to collect the food scraps, and rewarded students who participated with a hand stamp. Way to go Sydney! Interested in learning more about the Grades of Green Youth Corps Eco-Leadership program? Click here!

Thanks to Grades of Green Youth Corps students Sydney, Drew, Zoe and Kiley, Lunada Bay Elementary School students have learned some new ways to go green! Second graders Sydney and Drew gave a presentation to the two second grade classrooms to educate their peers about the drought, and to encourage them to turn off the tap when they brush their teeth. The students were invited to sign a Turn off the Tap pledge, and every student was gifted with a green toothbrush with a Grades of Green Turn off the Tap logo on it to remind them about their water saving pledge. Zoe and Kiley created a fun skit to present at a school wide spirit assembly encouraging their peers to choose organic fruits and vegetables, and to avoid pesticides. The skit included scenery made from recycled cardboard boxes! Congratulations to these Youth Corps leaders for inspiring and empowering their school community to care for the environment. Interested in learning more about the Youth Corps? Click here!