The Marcus Whitman Ecology Club was formed in 2019 by the Marcus Whitman Elementary Parent Teacher Organization. Right from the start, there were 111 members, from kindergarten through 5th grade! Who knew students would be so eager to work after school? The biggest problem was ensuring every student had a chance to participate, as with all those helping hands it only took about ten minutes to gather all the paper recycling from every classroom and office.
It is inspiring to see how many young people are eager to do more to help our environment. Most waste items that we use in our schools are at least somewhat recyclable, but it can be a challenge to try and recycle everything, so we decided to start with paper products. These are easy to collect, and every student can do their part every day in the classroom. Starting with even one thing is a good way to teach students about the effectiveness of recycling, practice social responsibility, and increase environmental awareness in the community.
Our mission is to empower students to make positive decisions and become change-makers for an environmentally sustainable world. Today, the Ecology Club does much more than just recycling paper. For the last three years, we have partnered with the REACH Museum to educate others on how to start similar programs in their schools and communities. To learn more, please visit us at the Earth Day Event on April 18 at the REACH and let us help you!
https://visitthereach.us/tri-cities-earth-day-2026
The Marcus Whitman Ecology club recycles on Fridays after school, It only takes 10 minutes! We also learn about our environment and city logistics, plant trees, and grow plants in the spring.
