Grades of Green is proud to announce the grand prize winners of the 6th annual Trash Free Lunch Challenge! After a panel of environmental experts visited the top three middle schools and the top three elementary schools, the winners were selected. Winning schools were chosen based on how well the Grades of Green team inspired and educated their campus community about the importance of reducing waste, how much waste the school is diverting from landfills, and how the program will be sustained and expanded upon in the future.
Selecting the winners was no easy task. And the winners are…
In the middle school category, Lindbergh STEM Academy in Long Beach! Lindbergh launched a comprehensive waste reduction program, including donating uneaten food to local shelters daily and composting fruit and vegetable scraps on campus. The Grades of Green Team students meet weekly, and caring for the environment is explored through science projects, art, and more. The school even reached out to their local city council members to involve them in the program. Congratulations Lindbergh!
In the elementary school category, the winner is McGaugh Elementary School in Seal Beach! The McGaugh community has made the Trash Free Lunch Challenge a permanent part of the campus culture. Three sorting stations are available to students daily, and student leaders monitor sorting stations to help their peers sort correctly. Student Grades of Green Team leaders host raffles to encourage kids to pack trash free lunches, and visit classrooms to manage paper, aluminum, and plastic recycling. Way to go McGaugh!
Congratulations to all of our schools! To read all about the success of the Trash Free Lunch Challenge winning schools, check out the links here: From the Desk of Councilmember Al Austin II, Gazettes.com.
Inspired by Lindbergh and McGaugh? Grades of Green is now recruiting schools to participate in the 2017-2018 Trash Free Lunch Challenge! Email us at info@gradesofgreen.org today to learn more!