Many happy returns in Richmond
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BY KEITH EDWARDS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 11/21/2009

RICHMOND -- It took a group of students to start recycling paper in Richmond schools.

This year, a dozen seniors in the National Honor Society make the rounds in elementary, middle and high schools classrooms each week, collecting paper from boxes placed in almost every classroom.

And every Saturday, at least one of them takes it to the town's recycling center on his or her own time.

"Our bins are usually pretty well full. If we miss a week, it's not good," said Donnie Gray, president of the school's National Honor Society. "No one person does it. It's a collaborative effort."

The recycling program started last year at the high school. This year, students expanded it to the middle and elementary schools.

They said they're getting more and more paper all the time -- an apparent indication that students, teachers and others at the schools are recycling more.

"Every week, it seems like we're getting more paper," said Andrea Carlton. She and fellow student Chelsea Sullivan lead the students' efforts to collect paper for recycling from Richmond's Marcia Buker Elementary School. "My back seats are packed with paper right now."

Josh Rice and Bruce Carver are usually the students who take the two large bins of paper to the town recycling center in their own vehicles on Saturday.

"It takes about an hour to drive over there, unload the paper and drive back. It's no big deal," Rice said.

The students have also spoken to elementary school students about how to recycle, and the importance of doing so. The recycling boxes in the elementary school are decorated with reminders about how and why to recycle.

"The biggest challenge has been reminding people to empty their boxes," Sullivan said.

Those reminders seem to be working, given the increase in the amount of paper they are collecting.

Carlton said she heard from one teacher that some of her students get angry if they see someone putting recyclable paper into the trash.

Mary Simpson, an adviser to the National Honor Society, said adults at the school have talked about recycling for years, but were unable to get a program started.

The National Honor Society is an organization recognizing students who demonstrate excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

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