Every year, Recycle Rhonda visits schools from Pre-K through college, helping students, teachers, and staff become better Planet Protectors by learning how to properly sort the unwanted materials we all create every day. Through hands-on lessons, interactive activities, and plenty of laughs, students discover that small actions—like putting an item in the right bin—can make a big difference for our environment.
The learning doesn’t stop in the classroom! Schools also have the opportunity to visit several of CSWD’s facilities for behind-the-scenes tours, where students see firsthand what happens to their recyclables, food scraps, and other items after they leave school. These experiences help connect everyday choices with real-world environmental impacts.
When we all work together, we make Vermont stronger, cleaner, safer, and more sustainable. Our state may be small, but together we’re proving that we can lead the way in protecting our planet and inspiring others to do the same.
2025–26 School Year Highlights
Classroom lessons with Recycle Rhonda
- Taught 84 lessons like ‘The Dirt on Composting’ with middle and high schoolers, a ReUse art project, and Trash Talkin’ & the 3 R’s with elementary kiddos at 28 different K-12 schools.
- Rhonda also made her rounds to 5 local preschools, getting to help over 300 kiddos learn to sort their waste correctly.
Waste Sorts
Burlington High School conducted several waste sorts while enrolled in the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s School Compost and Recycling Action Plan Institute (SCRAPI) that awarded $3,500 for waste reduction efforts. Waste sorts help identify what schools are sorting correctly and where improvements can be made. These Green Up Club kiddos discovered assisting other students at the cafeteria’s sort stations increased food scrap collection (for composting) by 300%! They are ready to take these lessons into their new school this fall.
Recycle Rally
Seven Chittenden County schools competed in CSWD’s 6th Recycle Rally Challenge and the sustainability spirit was stronger than ever. Students boosted sorting accuracy, launched new green initiatives, and showed what it really means to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Grand Champion: Champlain Elementary School with 92% correct sorting and standout student-led sustainability efforts.
Changemaker Award: Williston Central School — an incredible 204% improvement thanks to the hard work of one 7th grader, Anna Claro. One person CAN make a difference.
Battery Bonanza
This year 13 schools collected, sorted and shipped a whopping 9,225 pounds of batteries for recycling; that is over 4 TONS of batteries in a short 2-week period. Each box was received and weighed by staff at The Battery Network warehouses.
1st Place: Westford Elementary School
2nd Place: South Burlington High School
Field Trips to CSWD Facilities
CSWD owns and/or operates 9 different facilities throughout Chittenden County and each year students load up the buses to visit the places where their unwanted stuff goes when it leaves school and get to meet the folks doing the hard work.
CSWD staff worked together to provide 30 tours to nearly 500 students ranging from the 2nd graders at the Sustainability Academy to Environmental Science students from UVM.
Go, Planet Protectors!
As you can see, it was another fantastic year filled with learning, teamwork, and plenty of fun!
If you’d like to schedule a visit from Recycle Rhonda for the 2026–27 school year, now is the perfect time. Her calendar fills up quickly, so reserve your date soon by emailing rmace@cswd.net.
Thank you for practicing the 4 R’s every day: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Respect.
Contact Info
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Rhonda Mace School Outreach Coordinator
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Email: rmace@cswd.net
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Phone: 802-872-8100 x214
