An important component of the Elementary Program has been understanding the importance of our community and protecting the environment. Students learned that some of the products we use, like Capri Sun drink pouches, are non-recyclable. As a result, in October of 2010 our class decided to collect drink pouches and send them to TerraCycle, a company that turns drink pouches, chip bags, and candy wrappers into backpacks, coolers, folders, lunch boxes, and other cool products. TerraCycle will give our program 2 cents for every drink pouch collected and we are proud to say that we have collected a total of 1,313 drink pouches! The Elementary Program will continue to collect drink pouches throughout the summer and into the next academic year. If you consume Capri Suns or any other brand of drink pouches we encourage you to drop them off at our Elementary Program Recycling Station.

  Maxwell Elementary School's parent-led recycling program surpassed its $15,000 goal for the school year. "We're at $16,600 right now," parent volunteer Judith Hodges said May 19, the last day of classes at the Thomson school. "We collect about 20 different items," Hodges explained. They range from chip bags and juice pouches to ink cartridges and cell phones. Recycled items are shipped to TerraCycle Inc., of Trenton, N.J.