CALIFORNIA SAFE SCHOOLS SALUTES ALDAMA ELEMENTARY
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER
July 22, 2004

Students at Aldama Elementary School Take Pride in Keeping Their School Clean and Green!

By: Vanessa Cross
 
At Aldama Elementary in Los Angeles, California, teachers and teacher aides are busy handing out "good money" to students observed picking up trash around campus. The plant manager also rewards students with "good money" for helping sort and clean up trash during lunch. Students put their name on their "good money" and place it in a box in the office. The names of several students are pulled from the "good money" box at monthly assemblies and these students are awarded prizes. Students know that having less trash on campus means having less pests! They also know that it's easier to keep pests away than it is to get rid of them once they arrive. In this way, students and staff at Aldama are proactive in the pest management process.
 
Being clean is great, but being clean and green is even better! Third grade students recently assisted with the task of planting new plants on the hillside at Aldama. Prior to planting these flowering plants, students helped pull weeds and dig holes in the soil. They also assisted with the planting and placement of small trees into containers. These container gardens add beautiful greenery to the asphalt areas of the campus. Students understand that plants and flowers attract beneficial insects such as ladybugs. They also know that plants give off oxygen, which helps make our school environment cleaner.
 
ALDAMA ELEMENTARY CONTACT:
Martha Powell, Principal
323-255-1434
  or
  For further information on classroom environmental projects contact:
 
Robina Suwol
Executive Director
California Safe Schools (Non-Profit)
Box 2123
Toluca Lake,CA. 91610
schoolipm@yahoo.com