250K In Grant Money Supports Putnam Recycling

More than 250 thousand dollars in grant money delivered to Putnam County Tuesday morning to help in recycling.

Multiple grants from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation unveiled at Prescott Elementary and Middle School. Some 150 thousand dollars will go toward compost efforts at schools, nursing homes and restaurants.

Prescott Elementary Principal Catherine Jones said the recycling lessons being delivered to the youngest students.

“We did two weeks worth of lessons for all the students to become aware of the hazards that are taking place while we’re not recycling, while we’re not informed, while we don’t know how, to motivate the students to learn how,” Jones said.

Prescott teachers showed students what happened when plastics and other trash ended up in oceans and waterways and the impact it had on animals. The teachers said they saw tears.

Prescott Middle School students led by Casey Grissom have created gardens, an arboretum, a greenhouse, plant beds, and multiple compost piles. The work designed, organized and led by students. The students not only showed off their work Tuesday morning, they explained the ideas behind it.

“It takes enthusiasm to make things happen,” Director of Schools Jerry Boyd said. “Driven by a great, enthusiastic teacher that becomes contagious with the students. Giving your students the opportunity to design and take ownership of these kinds of projects, that certainly indicates what kind of outcome you’re going to have.”

The two schools work together. Elementary students, for example, will plant seeds that the middle school students will help grow.