Program Overview
In July of 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a multi-agency plan to reduce the city's rat population by 70% in three targeted areas located in the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn. As a school in one of the Rat Mitigation Zones (RMZ), your school must comply with efforts to minimize conditions that are conducive to rat activity including proper sorting of waste. This work requires the coordination and collaboration of several school stakeholders.
You've had the trainings. You've received the bins. Now what?
Recycling Champions (RCP), a program of GrowNYC, is excited to work with your students and staff to make recycling second nature. As a participant in our program, your school will receive support from an assigned outreach coordinator. Your dedicated outreach coordinator will work with you to foster a sustainable school culture, including supporting the education of faculty and students and reinforcing recycling behaviors through engaging, hands-on lessons, activities and projects. Our customized materials and creative engagement strategies lead to a deeper understanding of the connections between waste, health and your school community. Our organization strategies will guide you to establish the sustainability team and school-wide practices necessary for ongoing success.
In partnership with the DOE Office of Sustainability and the New York City Department of Sanitation, we invite your school to submit an application by Wednesday, May 16th. This is a rolling application with limited spaces available- all schools will be notified by the 1st week in June.
Program Requirements
The Recycling Champions RMZ Outreach Program includes direct education and the facilitation of experiences for student and faculty groups over the course of the 2018-2019 school year. Selected schools commit to the following required program elements:
Formation of a Sustainability Committee to support the school’s efforts to integrate recycling education and practice into the school day. We encourage committees to include at least 3 members, including the Sustainability Coordinator, an administration representative, & a custodial staff representative. The committee could also include interested teachers, school aide, and parents. RCP will work with the committee initially to establish expectations and goals, draft agendas, and ensure clear lines of communication. The Committee will establish a regular meeting time to check in on progress towards goals, discuss next steps and troubleshoot ongoing issues.
Creation or ongoing support of an existing Green Team to monitor classroom and cafeteria recycling bins and to coordinate a school-wide recycling campaign. Your Outreach Coordinator will work with you to recruit, organize and train your Green Team to be effective ambassadors for your recycling program within your school and community.
Provide access for and support of school-wide trainings and announcements to ensure all members of your school community are aware of your recycling program. RCP will provide an all-faculty Professional Development session highlighting NYC waste issues and integrating recycling practices into classroom routines. In this train the trainer model, teachers will be provided with the materials to take recycling information and lessons back to their students.
Conduct a Cafeteria Waste Audit. RCP will support your school’s Sustainability Committee, school aides and students to carry out a Cafeteria Waste Audit to track your recycling progress and gain a better understanding of sorting issues and their impact.