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Eisenhower Middle School Is Thinking Green

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By LOIS KINDLE lkindle@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 18, 2009

GIBSONTON - Eisenhower Middle School has expanded its recycling efforts in recent years, gradually encouraging students to embrace the idea of going green.

First, the goal was to get the kids collecting paper and newspapers, then cell phones and ink cartridges and finally bottles, cans and metals.

Social worker Amy Abdnour brought the concept full circle recently with a motivational project called Go Green ... Stuff the Can.

From Feb. 23 to 27, students had the chance to win lots of nifty prizes for pitching in. Some area businesses, including Walmart, The Alley, AMC Theatres and McDonald's, donated gift cards, and teachers purchased others to be given away in drawings.

Students received drawing tickets for recycling designated items in cans placed all over campus and for wearing the color green to show their "green spirit." Some teachers, including event coordinator Abdnour, donned green wigs.

"Students came every day with more and more to recycle," Abdnour said. "The project was like a fever that hit the campus."

"It was cool," said eighth-grader Katie Killebrew, 13, even though she didn't win anything. "It was a lot of fun."

Since the beginning of the 2008-09 school year, Eisenhower students have recycled more than six tons of paper, 8 miles of Styrofoam lunch trays, an entire dumpster of metal and cans and 700 pounds of plastic.

"We are so proud of our school's initiative in recycling, said Principal Dena Collins. "Our 'green team' has been working hard for the last few years, and this year's Stuff the Can was a show of Eisenhower pride for our school and the environment."

Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 865-1553. To view additional photos, go to southshore.tbo.com and enter the search words Eisenhower students go green.

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