Renton’s Talbot Hill Elementary was awarded a $5,000 grant for the school’s “green” education efforts on Monday, June 15.
The school was the only entity in Washington state to win a 2015 Think Green Grant from Waste Management. The company awarded $300,000 in grants nationally to the nonprofit Keep America Beautiful. Talbot Hill was one of the 39 Keep America Beautiful affiliates or partners to receive the grant.
The money will be used to build a garden and greenhouse on the front lawn of the school. The grant is a big deal for students, who previously did all of their “green” education inside the classroom.
Talbot Hill Principal Sheryl Dunton accepted the award from Waste Management’s David Della. School MicroSociety Coordinator Sally Boni was also on hand, as was Renton Chamber of Commerce CEO Vicky Baxter. Baxter introduced Boni to the grant and Boni called getting the funding like “a dream come true.”
“We are looking for donors and we are looking for connections to help us buy a greenhouse at cost or at least a discounted price,” said Boni. “Our $5,000 will go a long way to get us started, but we’ll most likely need $5,000 (to) $10,000 more before we are completely done.”
The school is also looking for volunteers who have expertise in creating outdoor greenhouses and gardens. Donors have already committed to donate soil for the project.
Talbot Hill Elementary is the site of MicroSociety, a mini-society of student-run businesses, nonprofits and agencies. One of the MicroSociety student leaders’ goals is to make the school a Level 2 “Green School” in energy conservation, as part of the King County Green Schools program.
Students and building staff currently recycle, compost and reuse materials. They are trying hard to use such tactics as dimming the lights, using less water and turning down the thermostat.
This is the ninth year Waste Management and Keep America Beautiful have collaborated to offer the grants. The two organizations have awarded more than $1.3 million in grant money during that time.
“Keeping our communities clean and beautiful is what our company, and Keep America Beautiful, are all about,” Barry Caldwell, Waste Management’s senior vice president of corporate affairs and the chief legal officer, said in a May press release.
“The Think Green Grants program enable community organizations across the country to help improve their neighborhoods, towns and cities, and we gladly support that,” he said.
