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Students at St. Ambrose Catholic School in Godfrey have gone green for God, says Parents Association representative Barbara Buhs. Building on momentum created several years ago, the school children are committed for the upcoming school year to "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle," she says.
Buhs said the school's annual ice cream social kicked off the new school year and a renewed sense of concern for Mother Earth. The social was held Aug. 16 after the 4:30 p.m. Mass. Students sported "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" T-shirts, which can also be worn on dress down days to promote respect for our environment.
Buhs says focus on green ways for living is an everyday commitment at St. Ambrose, where faculty and students are involved in collecting reusable consumer products that would otherwise litter the ground or sit in a landfill. Recyclables include aluminum cans, newspapers, milk jug lids, and pull tabs from soft drink cans.
The school's effort to recycle and reuse everyday items has been spearheaded by Minnie Stalker, teacher at St. Ambrose. And, Buhs says, the effort has its rewards.
At this year's Madison County Recycling Program Earth Flag Celebration, students at St. Ambrose were recognized for several accomplishments. The event was held at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
The school received a $500 award from the Madison County Recycling Program for increasing the tonnage of recyclable paper collected. An additional monetary award was also received from Abitibi Paper Retriever® Community Recycling Program.
In addition, several St. Ambrose students were recognized for their creative use of reusable materials in the county's annual TRASHformations contest. Eighth-grader Meghan Korte and seventh-grader Rebecca Griffon received second place and a $50 gift certificate for their project Little Red Schoolhouse. Alex Davis, fourth grade, was recognized for his project, Leon the Litterer, and kindergartner Emma Nicholson for her project "Ship" the Lions.
Students from all over the county participate in TRASHformations each year. Projects are made of such items as paper towel rolls, newspaper, recycled paper, pizza boxes, toothpicks, aluminum foil, plastic water bottles, detergent bottle caps, and Popsicle sticks.
Students contributed to the Ronald McDonald house with the money earned from the collection of pull tabs from soft drink cans.
Additionally, thanks to a grant from Madison County Solid Waste Management, the children will enjoy a new playground surface made of recyclable tires and other materials. The surface will be completed as school begins.
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