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Seattle-area high school student creates successful composting program

When asked what inspired her to create Ballard High School's composting program, 18-year old Ballard High School student Kiara Eldred, president of the school's Earth Service Corps, answered that she has "always cringed at the amount of trash our lunchroom auditorium creates that could be recycled or composted." She researched how to implement composting, included the principal and staff, wrote grants to fund a composting project, and headed publicity and education of the school. Her goals were not only to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills by Ballard High School, but also to educate the Ballard community in more sustainable practices.

Kiara worked on preparation, education, publicity, and implementation. She approached BHS community members and Seattle School District officials as well the District Resource Conservationist for approval, then submitted grant proposals to Seattle Public Utilities, the YMCA, and the Ballard PTSA, receiving over $3,500 in money and supplies. After purchasing the necessary materials (such as compost cans and bins and biodegradable bags and flatware), Earth Service Corps began educating the students and staff via a PowerPoint presentation outlining the benefits of composting and the logistics of what BHS students would be doing. Kiara posted signs around the school advertising and recruiting. She designed a t-shirt and "Compost Hero" buttons for students who chose to donate part of their lunch time to monitor the compost bins.

"I was greatly encouraged by the initial enthusiasm that students had when we were educating them before starting the program," Kiara remembers." [After implementation], most students sort[ed] their waste at their tables to make it easier for Compost Heroes to collect their compost." She was approached often for advice by students and staff of other schools who wanted to start a composting program. Composting made an incredible impact on school protocol, student attitudes, and the future practices of other area high schools. Due to the waste reduction, BHS will reduce the size of their garbage bin for the next school year (2008-2009) by 3 yards, or one garbage pick up a week all together. For next year, in Kiara's absence, there will be official composting protocol and further organized leadership.

With Kiara's composting program, Ballard became the first large high school in the Seattle Public Schools District to compost on a large scale. Everyday, all 1,700 students and staff members actively participate in composting, helping to greatly reduce the amount of landfill-bound trash since the school turns it into fertile soil instead. Through the program's success, Kiara has realized that "I can encourage others through my actions to take action themselves." Nathan Hale, Roosevelt, and Garfield High Schools may soon follow Kiara's phases of publicity, education, and implementation to set-up their own composting program.