As the 2023-2024 school year comes to a close, we are thrilled to celebrate the incredible achievements of the schools participating in the Recycling Heroes in School program. This initiative was launched with the goal of promoting environmental stewardship among students by encouraging the recycling of beverage containers. To help schools with recycling their beverage containers, we provide them with supplies and funding, and we help connect them with their local redemption centre.
The Top 5 Schools in the Program This Year
To foster healthy competition and encourage the schools to recycle as many beverage containers as they can, we’re providing the top 5 performing schools in the program a fun eco-reward at the end of each year (performance is based on containers recycled per student in the school). We are proud to announce the top five schools that excelled in recycling efforts:
- Académie Notre-Dame
- École Léandre-LeGresley
- Chipman Forest Avenue School
- Harvey High School
- Rothesay High School
Each of these schools demonstrated exceptional commitment to recycling by educating students about the importance of recycling, organizing collection drives, and integrating recycling practices into their daily routines. They got to choose from a variety of eco-rewards from Encorp, such as outdoor storage sheds, polycarbonate greenhouses, hydroponic garden kits, outdoor gardening kits with composters, rain barrels and raised garden beds, pollinator kits, and AI-powered bird-watching bird feeders.
One thing that all top-performing schools have in common is a strong sense of community involvement. These schools work with their communities to recycle beverage containers, which reduces waste and helps with fundraising. They organize regular bottle drives, either by collecting containers door-to-door or setting up a collection point at the school, and actively promote recycling within their communities. This results in fewer containers going to landfills and more funds for the schools.
Our top-performing schools have a wealth of advice and ideas for other schools looking to start or enhance their own beverage container recycling programs. This fall, Encorp will be sharing interviews with these schools to provide valuable insights and tips to help everyone succeed. Stay tuned!
Thank You to All Participating Schools
A heartfelt thank you goes out to every school that took part in the Recycling Heroes in School program. Your hard work and dedication have made a significant impact on our environment and have set a fantastic example for students and the community. Together, the 50+ schools in the program managed to recycle over 810,000 containers throughout the 2023-2024 school year, collectively raising $84,000, including the funds that were matched by Encorp from September 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. This impressive achievement highlights the power of community and the difference we can make when we work together.
Aside from the top 5 performing schools, 3 additional schools were rewarded for their participation in the Recycling Heroes in School program :
- Stanley Consolidated School
- Connaught Street School
- Lou MacNarin Elementary School
These schools have shown commendable effort and enthusiasm in participating in the program, and we are delighted to reward their dedication.
A Round of Applause for the 2023-2024 Recycling Ambassadors
Each participating school has a group of Recycling Ambassadors – the students at the school who manage the beverage container recycling program. These students are the ones putting in the hard work, collecting and preparing the containers to be brought to their redemption centre. Getting hands-on experience with this program, these students are growing up learning how to recycle and contributing to a healthier environment. Kudos to these students for all their hard work and commitment.
Looking Forward to the Next School Year
As we look ahead to the next school year, we are excited to continue supporting schools in their recycling efforts. We look forward to welcoming back our current schools and inviting new ones to join us in making a positive environmental impact. The Recycling Heroes in School program will continue to provide resources, rewards, and inspiration to help schools maximize their recycling efforts and teach students the importance of sustainability. Interested schools can sign up for free via our Recycling Heroes in School web page by submitting an application form detailing how they plan to get students involved in collecting and recycling empty beverage containers at their school in order to enroll and receive all these resources and support from Encorp.
Thank you once again for your dedication to recycling and for being true Recycling Heroes. Together, we can make an even greater difference in the coming years.
