As Texas winner of the Recycle-Bowl, a recognition from Keep America Beautiful, Inc., Mesquite ISD's Sam Rutherford Elementary recently received a $1,000 prize. The campus was recognized for recycling a total 19,657 pounds of waste (38 pounds of waste per capita).

"We are excited to be the Texas statewide winner for the first annual Recycle-Bowl," said Holly Grubbs, principal of Sam Rutherford Elementary. "The real benefit was not winning the competition but the joy in educating our students who in turn educated their families and our community."

Teachers echoed Grubbs' sentiments. "Using what we've learned about recycling, now we can make a difference in our city and our state," said teacher Kristy Carter.

Enthusiasm for the program shone through in a variety of school activities. Students formed a school "green team" and teachers organized a school-wide effort to empty filing cabinets and recycle all unnecessary papers that had accumulated over the years. One fifth grader was so devoted she went so far as to call a family meeting to instruct her parents on how to recycle properly.
As a result of the competition, Rutherford Elementary has cut its waste pick-up needs by more than half, and students, their families and faculty continue to rally behind the cause.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. "Keep America Beautiful is thrilled with the success of Recyle-Bow's inaugural year, and our congratulations go out not just to Rutherford Elementary, but to all participating schools for their work in showing how small changes can make a huge impact," said Matt McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. "Participants reported the competition gave them a mechanism to start or improve their school's recycling operations. Importantly, they tell us it also provided them with invaluable teaching moments about sustainability, math, science and social studies.