SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Richard Pan, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), Keep California Beautiful and the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps today launched Read, Write, Recycle!, a recycling contest for students of San Juan and Natomas Unified School Districts.

Six schools, two from the San Juan Unified School District and four from the Natomas Unified School District, will compete over the next five weeks to collect the most recyclable materials. One winning school in each district will receive $500 for the most recyclables collected. A grand prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the single school in the two districts that recycles the most paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic.

"It's no secret that schools have suffered tremendous cuts over the last few years, and we need to be creative to generate much-needed funds," said Dr. Pan, who chairs the California State Assembly Committee on Health. "This partnership is an excellent example of working together to meet students' needs, while still teaching valuable lessons like recycling."

Each school will receive $150 for participating. These funds can be used for much needed school supplies. In addition, each of the participating schools will receive several recycling bins. Teachers and students also will receive tips to help encourage recycling at school and at home.

"We are inspired by the enthusiasm these young people bring to recycling. Collecting valuable materials like plastic, paper, aluminum and glass and diverting them from the waste stream is a great way to be part of solutions that show commitment to a clean environment," said Steve Russell, vice president of the Plastics Division at ACC. "We're proud to be part of any program that helps create the next generation of recyclers."

SACRAMENTO STUDENTS WILL REAP THE REWARDS OF RECYCLING

A total of 165 elementary school classes from the six schools will participate in this five-week recycling challenge. In total, more than 4,300 students will participate in the program, learning valuable lessons about recycling.

"We are delighted to work with the San Juan and Natomas school districts, Assemblymember Pan, the ACC and Keep California Beautiful to provide an opportunity to recycle in Sacramento-area schools," said Dwight Washabaugh, executive director of the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps. "Partnerships like these help our kids value the environment and help our corps members learn valuable skills in the workplace."

The Read, Write, Recycle! program launched in February of 2012 in San Gabriel County where 1,500 students recycled more than 11 thousand pounds of materials. Building on the success of this initial program, Dr. Pan and the partners are bringing the competition to Sacramento.

Read, Write, Recycle! is the latest recycling effort supported by ACC under the Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle. campaign. ACC also works with LA's Best, an after-school enrichment program in Los Angeles, to educate students about recycling, and ACC is a key sponsor of Recycle. Goal., a recycling contest between young soccer players in Southern California and the Central Valley.

Read more from the original source:
Sacramento Students Learn Rewards Of Recycling