The plastic recycling program started in Freedom Middle School two years ago. Cooper Brien, previous Bulldog Barker writer, ninth grader, started the program in 2023. After Brien’s project, the Middle School continued the program. Ms. Ging, sixth grade teacher and program coordinator, has continued it for the last two years.
“I think more teachers participate than students. I see many teachers bring in larger quantities than students,” Ging said. Even though the program has been around for two years many students don’t know about it.
“Our students do participate by helping to collect, weigh, and record amounts. Without the students’ efforts the program would not be a success,” Ging said.
Ms. Ging and her students reached the 1,000 pound goal right before the winter break. This year, the Pep Club is taking over the Plastic Program and has already collected 300 pounds for the next bench. Ms. Ging and her students will still be helping to record, but in order to do it again this year, it is going to be put under Pep Club. You have one year to collect 1,000 pounds. If you finish early, you still have to wait until the year ends.
“I mainly take the plastic to Cranberry at Fresh Thyme,” Miss Heiman, librarian, plastic delivery coordinator, said. Fresh Thyme is one of many places you can deliver plastic to.
“I think that by seeing all of the plastic collected in my room to be processed the students realized that they can make a difference and put effort into their collecting of plastic,” Ging said.
The program itself is run through NexTrex. Some items you can put in the plastic bins are bread bags, ziploc bags, newspaper sleeves, grocery bags, and other soft plastics. You cannot recycle into the bins hard plastics such as water bottles. You log the amount of plastic you collect daily and you put it into a form from NexTrex. This is how you keep track of the amount you have. When you reach 1000 pounds you get a bench made out of recycled plastic.
The program is affecting the students and many do know it exists. Hopefully, the program will continue for many years to come.
