Orange County Public Schools

Top OCPS Recyclers:
by pounds (lbs) year-to-date

Lockhart Elementary students are learning how to do yoga poses like tree and warrior on mats and eating lunch underneath blue patio umbrellas outdoors, thanks to the recycling efforts of the school community. 

For the past two years, the school has been collecting clothing and household items in a giant white metal bin stationed in the school parking lot. Four times a year, the school receives 10 cents per pound for the donations from Charity Recycling Service of Boca Raton. The company’s checks are deposited into an OCPS Foundation account, and the principal decides how the funds will be used to benefit the school. 

Lockhart Elementary has reduced its carbon footprint by recycling 4,000 pounds of donated merchandise so far, which has provided the school with the money to purchase yoga mats and patio umbrellas for its students. Accepted items include men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and shoes, small household appliances and family items in usable condition that fit in the bin.

“We decided to partner with CRS because it provides families with an opportunity to give back to the community and the school,” said Lockhart Elementary Principal Alyson Muse.

The Foundation for Orange County Public Schools has been partnering with CRS since 2018 and schools district wide have earned more than $225,000 by participating in the program.

Stone Lakes Elementary was the first school to receive a recycling bin and start collecting unwanted items from the community in February 2019. Currently, there are 155 OCPS schools participating in the program, which have collected nearly two million pounds of clothing. 

CRS recently had an appreciation celebration at Main Event in the Pointe Orlando to thank the Foundation and schools for their partnership. The festivities included arcade games, bowling, laser tag and food.  

“The Charity Recycling Service program costs schools nothing and continues to grow,” said Operations Manager Jim Hohs. “Instead of people throwing away their unwanted items, they can donate it and help the public schools in their community.”

CRS also provides schools with green grants, which have helped Zellwood Elementary fund butterfly and hydroponic gardens and Westpointe Elementary’s bottle-cap art installation. 

The organization educates students on how to reduce, reuse and recycle by having design contests with sustainability themes. The selected artwork is featured on T-shirts, tote bags, notebooks and water bottles that are given to the schools.

“Foundation partnerships are important because of community support for the students,” said Partners in Education Manager Kathleen Wright. “We can do anything from teacher grants, scholarships to out-of-the-box ideas, including the Charity Recycling Service’s donation bin program.”