Independent School District 196 Community Education - engage youth in waste audits and incorporate waste education into adult Community Education classes
What did they do?
High school students did waste audits of local businesses and school offices, giving staff and business owners cost effective and specific information on ways they could reduce waste and reduce their use of toxic products. A series of waste audit booklets were developed and used by the students. Also, Community Education instructors incorporated waste education into adult education classes. Dakota County staff provided instructors with relevant print material (e.g., classes on starting a home business received information about purchasing products made with recycled materials, cooking classes received information on composting food scraps.) A waste reduction curriculum for Adult Basic Education and English As a Second Language classes covered household hazardous waste, recycling, waste reduction, and sustainability.
What can you do?
Contact your local school district's Community Education program to suggest similar activities. You can view many of the planning documents created and used by the youth for this project: Waste Audit Checklist, Initial Contact Record, Initial Visit Agenda, Letter of Introduction, Pre-assessment Questionnaire, and Waiver Form. To receive a copy of the ABE/ESL curriculum or Waste Reduction Fact Sheets, contact Dakota County, at 952-891-7557.
What did they do?
High school students did waste audits of local businesses and school offices, giving staff and business owners cost effective and specific information on ways they could reduce waste and reduce their use of toxic products. A series of waste audit booklets were developed and used by the students. Also, Community Education instructors incorporated waste education into adult education classes. Dakota County staff provided instructors with relevant print material (e.g., classes on starting a home business received information about purchasing products made with recycled materials, cooking classes received information on composting food scraps.) A waste reduction curriculum for Adult Basic Education and English As a Second Language classes covered household hazardous waste, recycling, waste reduction, and sustainability.
What can you do?
Contact your local school district's Community Education program to suggest similar activities. You can view many of the planning documents created and used by the youth for this project: Waste Audit Checklist, Initial Contact Record, Initial Visit Agenda, Letter of Introduction, Pre-assessment Questionnaire, and Waiver Form. To receive a copy of the ABE/ESL curriculum or Waste Reduction Fact Sheets, contact Dakota County, at 952-891-7557.