Students prep for the future with ‘dirty’ recycling lesson

The Build 2 Lead environmental specialist cohort at Thomas Jefferson High School got down and dirty, sorting through their school’s trash to find the recycling, with the overarching vision to prepare students for employment.

The after-school program Build 2 Lead engaged its environmental specialist cohort with an activity led by WM — formerly Waste Management — that involved students digging through their cafeteria garbage to find what could go in the trash, what could go to compost, and what could be recycled. WM Outreach Coordinator Rhianne Janovich said this activity teaches students about recycling in a way that impacts them.

Janovich said that when students do this activity, they usually realize what should be recycled and what shouldn’t, but ultimately, they’re trying to educate students about how to recycle effectively. For example, Janovich said that when a student puts a milk carton still containing milk in the recycle bin, the milk spills onto recyclable material and renders it trash due to contamination.

“Getting into [high] schools is one of our primary focuses because we think this is a really important age where people are starting to have more ownership of their lives to teach them about climate-friendly slash climate futures,” Janovich said. “Recycling is one of the easiest ways to ensure that we’re doing something good for our planet, our resources, and not overusing them, but also, most importantly, making sure that if we did take them out of the ground, they’re going to have a long, long life.”

Build 2 Lead and their goals

Build 2 Lead Program Manager Natorius Ezell said Build 2 Lead is a nonprofit organization that works inside Federal Way Public Schools and is trying to stop the schools-to-prison pipeline by preparing students for various careers when they graduate from high school. Ezell said many students don’t know what they want to do when they graduate, so they want to help them figure out what to pursue by giving them access to certifications and relationships with professionals, such as the employees they met from WM.

“We’re trying to interrupt the generational gap with education and what kids of color have been normally taught. Other than trying to show them a different way, we also offer them programs that are sustainable for them to make it when they get out of school,” Ezell said. “Because we know every kid is not going to be college-ready, but we’re trying to prepare these kids for these different careers and show them it’s different things that they can do besides what they’ve been shown. And, giving them access is the main thing because a lot of them don’t have access.”

Ezell said that through this after-school program, the students not only obtain an environmental specialist certification, which can help them find environmentally focused employment, but it also aids them in preparing a portfolio. Ezell said they help students put together a resume and engage in activities that give them experience they can put on their resume.

Ezell said they chose the environment to be the focus for this cohort because environmental jobs are becoming more important, especially in Washington state. Because of Washington’s focus on the environment and sustainability, Ezell said they got a grant to fund this program, allowing them to pay the students to participate. Ezell said that many students live in tough situations and have jobs outside of the program and school, so money for participating in the program helps them career-wise and in their lives.

“We’ve seen kids come back and say, ‘You know what? I’m doing this as a career. Thank you for helping. Thank you for the program.’ I just wish, I hope, I’m praying that we can sustain this for years to come, to see it change kids lives,” Ezell said. Ezell said this program is one of the most rewarding experiences, not for him, but for the kids.

Sy Hunter, a sophomore at TJHS and member of the Build 2 Lead Environmental Specialist Cohort, said this activity isn’t honestly what he would like to be doing, but it taught him something new and will help him further his life. In addition to teaching him, Hunter said he gets to help out his ecosystem by sorting out recycling.

“Trash, I already knew it stunk, but when you get up close to it, and you’re doing somebody else’s job, and you’re stepping in somebody else’s shoes, then you realize, “This stuff is hard,” Hunter said.

Jazmyn Thelander, a sophomore at TJHS and member of the Build 2 Lead Environmental Specialist Cohort, said this activity was gross, but it was fun, and doing it with friends was entertaining. Thelander said this activity has grown her appreciation for recycling and made her realize she was putting a lot of stuff in the garbage that was supposed to be in the recycling.

Thelander said she joined Build 2 Lead because her friends are in the program, but she also thought it would benefit her success, and receiving money helped her join. She added that seeing the communications employees from WM made her think about her future career, even if that isn’t what she will eventually do.