For the past several years, the Recycling Heroes in School program at Académie Notre-Dame has been run by the Grade 5 class. This approach fosters responsibility among a group of students under the direct supervision of their teacher, guaranteeing consistency, commitment and efficiency.
Throughout the year, student Recycling Ambassadors look after the recycling bins located throughout the school, including in each classroom and the cafeteria. Every day, the deposit-bearing beverage containers are collected, sorted, carefully rinsed in a sink to eliminate any residue, and then placed in clearly identified bags. The bins are then washed before being put back, making sure they’re clean and ready to be reused.
To facilitate the process, a weekly schedule was set up, assigning each group of students a series of responsibilities, from collecting the beverage containers to rinsing them. This system gets all students equally involved and keeps the program running smoothly.
The students are also improving the program every year: problems encountered in the past, such as fruit flies due to insufficient rinsing, were not an issue for the 2024-2025 school year. This shows just how seriously the students take this work.
Awareness: The Key to Better Recycling
The initiative also focuses on the educational aspect. The ambassadors visit classrooms to educate their classmates about proper sorting practices. Posters in the cafeteria reinforce their message. If sorting errors happen from time to time, such as milk cartons in the recycling bins, their responsible ambassadors are quick to address them with targeted reminders.
The program is also having a tangible impact on behaviour outside school: some students have said they’ve started recycling at home as well. It’s clear that the good habits learned at school are having a lasting positive impact.
A Collective Effort to Serve the Whole School
The logistics are made easy through a partnership with Billy’s Bottle Exchange, which provides the school with container pick-ups once a week. This support allows the school to avoid the inconvenience of having to transport bags of containers themselves.
Thanks to financial support from Encorp, the school was also able to buy necessary materials such as new bins, gloves and bags. They were also able to organize a much-anticipated end-of-year outing: a day of camping with inflatable games, foam slides and other fun activities.
Two Years of Green Excellence
Académie Notre-Dame is proud to have been ranked among the top five schools in the Recycling Heroes in School program for the second year in a row. Along with this recognition, they received a hydroponic gardening kit from Encorp, a learning tool that will further enrich students’ environmental education.
The Académie Notre Dame teaching team commends the Grade 5 students’ commitment and highlights the effectiveness of this educational approach. Encorp also congratulates these young Recycling Heroes for their dedication and amazing work throughout the school year.
Your School Can Also Raise Money by Collecting Beverage Containers!
Académie Notre Dame is just one of many schools participating in Encorp’s Recycling Heroes in School program, and yours could be part of the program, too! Collecting and returning deposit-bearing beverage containers is a fantastic way to raise extra funds for your school, and this program helps provide you with the supplies and support to make it easy.
Submit an application on our website to get your school started with beverage container recycling!
