Thursday February 16, 2012 · 38° and mostly cloudy in Lincoln

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Students need to give back to their community – and that includes tasks such as recycling their own pop cans and water bottles, according to Johnathan Blecha, a senior at the Bryan Community Focus Program.

Chelsea Gruhn, also a Bryan senior, agreed: "Participating in our school's recycling program is not just about what we do in class. That's not the reason we do it. We do it because it's the right thing to do for our environment and for the landfill."

Their efforts were rewarded this week when the Bryan Community Focus Program won a prestigious Keep America Beautiful award: first place in the state in a new competition called the Recycle Bowl.

The honor was given to the school in the state that collected the most recyclable material – per capita – during a four-week period last fall. Lincoln Public Schools had 17 schools participate – 1,226 schools participated across the nation – and Huntington Elementary School was awarded second place in the state.

Bryan Principal Mindy Roberts told her students that she was proud of them – not only for the recycling award, but also for all the community and neighborhood service projects they accomplish. "And you saved a lot of trees."

Jon Dawson, the social studies teacher at Bryan who coordinates the recycling project, admitted that it was dirty work – but added "that we have plenty of hand sanitizer."

Marti Franti, recycling coordinator for the school district, said the LPS Recycling Program "has set a high standard for other school districts in Nebraska as well as statewide."

The LPS Recycling Program started as a pilot program in 1998 and has recycled more than 13 million pounds since then.

Environmentally, she noted, that has saved:

• More than 105,000 trees
• Enough energy needs for more than 2,500 Nebraska homes for a year
• 45 million gallons of water (a lot of toilet flushes)
• More than 2.5 million gallons of fuel
• Economically, more than $200,000 savings for LPS in disposal costs

"Educationally," Franti continued, "recycling has reinforced the lessons of environmental stewardship to students and staff. Bryan students here today have experienced recycling in all of their classrooms since they were in kindergarten, allowing them an opportunity to make a difference every day – every week – every month – every year – everywhere."

Jane Polson, president of Keep Nebraska Beautiful – representing Keep America Beautiful – officially presented the award and a $1,000 check for the school. "I'm hoping you'll repeat this next year," she told the cheering students. "That's a challenge to you."

Ed Zimmer, representing the Lincoln Board of Education, congratulated the Focus Program students, teachers and administrators, as well as the school district's recycling program.

Quoting the famous anthropologist Margaret Mead, Zimmer noted: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

• How We Notify
• 2011-2012 Closure Procedures for Staff

• Lincoln Board of Education highlights: February 14 School Board meeting

  The Lincoln Board of Education met for a regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 14. The next regular School Board meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28. All Board meetings are broadcast live on public access channel 5. Currently there are technical problems with shows on 21, but Time Warner is working on the issue.

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