Clinton-Massie Elementary School teacher Jen Molitor and her students were recently awarded a 2020 PEAR Grant from the Clinton County Solid Waste Management District.
The student-led project will aim to reduce school food waste through implementation of an on-campus composting program.
Their grant application states, “Our goal, with the Clinton-Massie Compost Program, is to encourage our student body of about 800 and staff (about 60) at Clinton-Massie Elementary to compost after eating in the cafeteria. We hope to reduce the amount of garbage thrown away by 50%.”
With oversight provided by Gifted Intervention Specialist Jen Molitor, the fourth- and fifth-grade students will be managing the program from start to finish, after having completed significant work on the grant application themselves. The program is part of the District’s Project Based Learning (PBL) initiative, designed to incorporate classroom studies into immediate, practical applications.
The PEAR Grant, which stands for “Promoting Environmental Awareness and Recycling”, is offered annually to educational institutions located within Clinton County. information about this grant program can be obtained on the Solid Waste Management District’s website: www.co.clinton.oh.us/recycling.
