Recycling has returned to the school after a brief respite last year, and now goes on every Tuesday and Thursday of the week. Life-Skills students work the whole thing. It began as a tradition that originally started several years ago as a part of a donation drive. Now, they do it to get ready for life after high school.

“It teaches them job skills. They have to act appropriately, because they’re in training,” Life Skills teacher Mrs. Shackett said. “(It’s done) so that hopefully after they exit high school, they’ll be able to get a job.”

The students started by getting the old blue bins out of storage, cleaned them up, and gave them new numbers. Then, they passed as many out to teachers as possible. They came up a little short, so they’re now trying to get a hold of more.

“When we have recycle days, teachers are supposed to set their blue bins outside their door,” Mrs. Shackett said. “My class comes by with the really big containers, and they just go by and dump them and leave them. Like the city recycle pickup.”

Aside from helping with vocational job skills and the environment, picking up the recycling can have other good benefits.

“I think the kids have fun doing it. They like pushing the big can around; talking to people they see in the hallway,” Mrs. Shackett said.

And even if you’re not part of the process yourself, you can still help make a small difference at the school. Don’t throw away trash in blue recycle bins, including soda cans. Aluminum has to be processed at a different plant, so stick to paper, plastic water bottles, and cardboard. Every little bit helps, and can lead to a cleaner, organized world.