First Graders Make a Difference with Waste-Free Lunches
During the beginning of school last year, first-grade students in Brooke Donovan’s class conducted a classroom waste audit. “We took a close look at the amount of trash we generated after one lunch,” said Donovan. “Students counted the number of yogurt cups, plastic forks and knives, juice boxes, and other trash that we generated. Then they discussed what they could do to reduce this waste.”
The first goal was “no more plastic water bottles” and students brought in reusable cups and bottles from home. The second goal was no tin foil. This quickly morphed into students bringing in reusable lunch containers, utensils, and cloth napkins. After learning that Americans use millions of straws a day, they opted to “skip the straw.”
The students are so excited about the changes, said Donovan. “I had students coming up to me and announcing, ‘Look my mom bought me a reusable spoon!’”
Donovan’s efforts in the classroom extended to other areas of the Lower School. This spring, Shipley’s Lower School announced “Waste-Free Wednesdays” as a way to start making changes and being more conscious about sustainability efforts.
Prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first-grade classes now have compost buckets for their fruit and vegetable scraps. Fifth graders pick up the classroom compost bins and take them to the compost tumblers just outside the cafeteria.
“There is a great connection to science,” said Dan Del Duca, Lower School Science teacher. “Students can see the decomposition process happening within a few weeks.”
“I love watching the students begin to understand that they are part of the solution to reduce waste,” said Donovan. “It’s becoming second nature for them.” Just ask Shipley’s youngest students, they are happy to share their knowledge.
Want to learn more about Waste Free Lunches? Check out these resources.
Originally published in the May 2022 issue of the Upper School student newspaper, The Beacon, this article shares insights from All School President Griffin Chulik ’22 about his student government experience and some final thoughts as he departs from the Shipley community and prepares to head off to college in the fall.
Acorns to Oaks has been a tradition the Shipley community has celebrated for decades. Bringing together not only the oldest and youngest students in the School, but also their families and the community as a whole. After COVID forced disruptions in the traditional celebrations, families of Oaks & Acorns were invited onto campus to participate in the first Acorn & Oak festivities of the 2021-2022 school year.
In this October 2021 article from The Beacon student newspaper, Asher Leavy explores recent updates and challenges faced by Shipley's dining services in keeping up with sustainability efforts, including expanded vegan and vegetarian offerings.
After 726 days, Super Saturday, the opening community event of the school year, made its triumphant return. Like the leaves changing color and decorative pumpkins, some things are simply an integral part of fall. Super Saturday is one of those things! After being cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, Shipley’s annual event was back and better than ever.
Waste sorting benefits the environment and saves money. Taking a few extra minutes at lunch to decide whether something goes in the compost, trash, or recycling bin can significantly reduce the amount of waste Shipley produces. By properly sorting waste, we can meet our sustainability goals both as a country and a school. Here at Shipley, you can easily do your part to help reach a clean, green future.
The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.