Step 7: ACT to Engage the Community

We were asked by the school district to develop a plan to ensure that our school's children did not throw the metal silverware into the garbage so we developed an Environmental Team called The Silverware Patrol! The Silverware Patrol officers wear green vests with silver badges. They wield magnetic wands and gripper claws to retrieve any cutlery that is accidentally tossed in the garbage.

All students in grades 2-6 were invited to apply to joint the team via written application. The applications were reviewed by the second grade leadership cohort and evaluated on the basis of the applicants' evidence of responsibility, friendliness, and environmental concern.

Accepted Officers received formal letters of acceptance:

Sixty students were accepted as Silverware Patrol Officers and a (very long) schedule was created. Six students per lunch serve were assigned the responsibility of monitoring the garbage cans. Twenty-four students served per day. Protocol was established and the second graders conducted training sessions for the other children.

The Environmental Team created a slide deck to introduce the new policy and expectations at each of the four lunch serves.

The following materials were purchased prior to launch:

• 6 Green Vests

• 12 Silver Star Badges

• 3 magnetic wands (to retrieve silverware accidentally thrown in the garbage)

• 3 gripper claws (to retrieve silverware accidentally thrown in the garbage)

• A garment rack to hang our vests

• Hangers made from recycled plastic

Total Teacher Cost = $152.00