Students Lead Litter Grant Program Across County

L-R / Director of Community Relations and Special Projects Patty Winstead, JCHS Students Ian Greer, Summer Hayes, Leah Wilson, JCHS Service Learning Class Shelia Evans, Jefferson County Recycling Coordinator Ed Howard
– Staff Photo by Jeff Depew

The Jefferson County Litter Grant Program will soon be making its way into local elementary schools with the assistance of Shelia Evans and the Jefferson County High School Service Learning Class. Evans, who teaches the class, will lead students in a program that will be presented across Jefferson County. The Litter Grant is a Tennessee Department of Transportation grant that is funded by specialty tax on the malt beverage and soft drink industry. The annual grant goes toward funding the Jefferson County Recycling Coordinator and educating residents on issues related to recycling and litter. Beyond the benefits to the environment, recycling has a great economic benefit to Jefferson County. One goal of the Recycling Program is to significantly extend the life of the current Landfill, which could result in multi millions of dollars of savings to Jefferson County residents.

Jefferson County Director of Community Relations and Special Project Patty Winstead and Pam Springfield of Jefferson County E 911, along with Evans and Jefferson County Recycling Coordinator Ed Howard, have coordinated the extensive paperwork and functional presentation of the program. Though the exact amount of the grant will not be released until later this spring, grant amounts are expected to exceed $52,000. 

The Service Learning Class will assist in presenting a hands on program to local elementary students. Games and a power point presentation, as well as surprise gifts of t-shirts, a tambourine and a bag will be a part of the introduction to the Litter Grant Program. Early Education is considered to be integral to the long term commitment to recycling. The Litter Grant Program will do its first presentation for 2013 at White Pine School on Friday. The Resolution to accept TDOT’s Litter Grant will be before the Jefferson County Commission at their April voting meeting.