Area students can learn about litter prevention, recycling and much more thanks to a recent $15,000 community grant awarded to Keep Slidell Beautiful.

The grant is one of several awarded to the group from Keep Louisiana Beautiful over the last two years, totaling $67,000 for litter prevention programs. According to KSB Executive Director Bill Mauser, the state agency was inundated with requests, though a relatively small amount was available to be awarded.

“They had about $1 million in grant requests but could only distribute about a quarter of that,” said Mauser. “We were very fortunate to be selected.”

Representatives from more than a dozen local schools met with KSB officials recently to kick off the Green Team program. A recent grant from Keep Louisiana Beautiful will help expand the program to include curriculum on litter prevention, waste management and more. (Staff Photo by Anne Lautzenheiser)

Mauser said the funds would support and expand its Green Team education program, recently instituted among local schools.

Through the program, gardening tools and trash cans are distributed to each school to use in beautification and cleanup efforts. In addition, KSB hopes to introduce the Waste in Place curriculum, a series of 33 lesson plans developed by Keep America Beautiful.

Aimed at elementary school students, the curriculum is designed to foster respect for the environment and social responsibility. The lessons examine issues such as litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, landfills and more.

“The whole point is to create community stewards and to have the kids teach the parents,” said Green Team Coordinator Margo Guilott.

The program already has plans for wristbands and T-shirts, and Mauser said the new grant might allow some funds to be directed toward a mascot. As further incentive, each school is invited to participate in a slogan contest.

The slogan must communicate in a few words the mission of the Green Team. Guilott gave examples such as “Don’t Mess with Texas” and “Think Globally, Act Locally.” Each school must submit its top three slogans by March 20, and the KSB board will select the winning entry. The winning school will receive recognition at a subsequent board meeting.

“It has to be something that sticks,” said Guilott. “Kids have such a great way of putting things.”

Each school’s entries may be submitted to guil@bellsouth.net, and Guilott can be reached at 259-0299.

Mauser said KSB is hoping to expand the Green Team concept out into area neighborhoods. One subdivision, Bon Village, has already begun with its own recycling program, and Mauser said the grant money would enable KSB to purchase another 200 trashcans for both recycling and its award-winning parade litter program.

“We have a good track record, and none of this would happen without the support of the city and our volunteers,” he said.

With several events over the next couple months, such as the Household Waste Collection Day on March 28 and the Citywide Cleanup on April 25, volunteers are needed. Anyone interested in helping can call Mauser at 265-5029, or Wanda Beelman in the city council office at 646-4307.