West Valley students say school recycling program collected more than 6,000 pounds in first year

West Valley High School students told the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District board on Sept. 16 that their student‑led Climate Defense League recycling program collected roughly 6,160 pounds of recyclables since October, after the club received a grant and installed a large collection bin. "The first time we emptied the container, we collected 500 pounds," co‑president Annika Merkel said; subsequent pickups were 1,700, 1,920 and 2,040 pounds, she said. The students said a grant from Explore Fairbanks routed through Golden Heart Waste Management and cooperation with Green Star Recycling allowed the program to move from classroom bag collections to a dumpster‑size container and rolling classroom bins. "We were able to store all of our recyclables in there, and then Golden Heart Waste Management would come, pick up the recyclables, and deliver them to the recycling facility," Merkel said. Nut graf: The student presentation showed how a small, student‑organized operation and targeted funding can scale recycling at a high school and asked the district to help replicate the approach at other schools. Student leaders described operations and outcomes: the program serves about 55 rooms (classrooms and administrative spaces), involves roughly 10 student volunteers, and requires about 4.8–5 hours of student time per week. The students said roughly 140 hours of volunteer time produced the 6,160‑pound total and that the collection included paper, cardboard, aluminum and plastic. Co‑president Anna Westfall said the club also used the grant money to buy rolling bins and classroom recycling containers and to place bins in the cafeteria and library. Westfall said those changes sped collection and allowed the club to broaden materials they accepted. "We had a significantly faster collection process," she said. Students said they want the district to help expand the approach to other high schools and requested help connecting with staff and peers at Lathrop and North Pole high schools. They also said Golden Heart Waste Management has expressed continued interest in supporting expansion. Board members praised the students. School board member Jane Julian called the students "Arctic leaders" and encouraged them to expand beyond recycling into broader climate projects. Board member Michael Burgess asked about the program's funding and staffing challenges; the students said their grant came from leftover Arctic Winter Games funds administered by Explore Fairbanks and that recruiting students and school champions is their main operational hurdle. Ending: The board did not take action on the student presentation; members thanked the students and encouraged follow‑up. Merkel and Westfall said they hope to work with district staff to pilot similar collection containers at additional high schools this year.