FORT THOMAS, Ky. — Johnson Elementary in Forth Thomas is the first Northern Kentucky school to be designated a Green Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, an award celebrating environment and sustainability practices.
At Johnson, staff and administration said students spearhead many sustainability programs, including the school's outdoor classroom. Students designed it — from pollinator-friendly plants to those meant to attract monarch butterflies.
“It’s really fun there because it’s calm," fourth grader Faith Bryant said.
She said the outdoor classroom is her favorite project. She's also part of the school's eco club, which spearheads these initiatives and each student in the club seems to have a different favorite.
“I like recycling because we got the whole school into it," fourth grader Emery Groneck said.
The recycling program is where sustainability took off at the school, according to Jillian Booth, a science teacher and sponsor of the eco club. It was started by students after they noticed litter near the school and wanted to do something about it.
The program goes beyond the items many people put in a recycling bin for Rumpke to take. In the cafeteria, there's a composting bin and several different recycling bins for different items that go to different places. For example, plastic bags go in one bin for Kroger, other items go in a bin for the Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub.
The students in the eco club also take part in the process of turning the food students put in the compost bins into plant fertilizer.
These are just a few of the examples of the sustainability efforts at Johnson Elementary. To Booth, all of this is about sharing her passion with her students.
“I am passionate about the environment. I am passionate about the planet that will be left to these kids. I’m more excited about empowering them," she said. "Teaching them how to identify problems in their community and do what they can to solve those. And also to know that even though they’re 10 or 11, they can really make a huge difference.”
And Booth said they are making a difference. She said the school has reduced the number of full trash bags going from the cafeteria to the landfill from four per day, to just one. The impact doesn't stop there, though.
“They’re taking these skills that we’re learning here at school home and in our communities and they’re trying to grow it even more," Booth said.
Plus, students in the eco club have ideas for projects they want to start next school year, like growing food for the cafeteria. Booth said the next project the school has planned is revitalizing the nature trails behind the school that lead down to the creek.
