David Stratuik, Kelly Gabriel and Heather Hitz

Stratuik and his colleagues’ innovative teaching idea, “PAWS for the Environment,” (Plastics and recyclables, All liquids, Waste, Saved foods), is designed to reduce waste in the cafeteria by disposing of liquid waste down the drain; saving unopened food and donating to food bank; recycling and terra cycling; promoting reusable lunch containers; and composting for food waste. Fifth and sixth grade students will use tablets to create public service announcements about the environment that will be broadcast on the school’s morning news program. They will also use these tablets to take and edit pictures as part of an art project in all grade levels, thus creating deeper environmental awareness. Additionally, the students will build an organic vegetable garden that will be used as a teaching and learning garden. The food grown there will be eaten by students, and fertilizer from the compost will be used for the teaching garden where the students will have plants native to Virginia used in the curriculum. Ultimately, the project will help further build the school community with more environmental stewards.