Students seek input on curbside recycling

The gifted students in Tina Sudkamp's class, in the Nevada High School Action Program "are supposed to find a public policy they would like to change," as part of the civics portion of the curriculum, said Sudkamp.

The class has 10 students in it and they have been split into two groups for the project. One of the groups has decided to see if they can get a curbside recycling program implemented in Nevada.

"It seemed like the most reasonable to get done," said Skyler Laning, one of the five freshman students in the group.

The group considered several ideas but settled on the recycling issue because it's "an important topic," said Mikayla Bartlett.

Group member Hunter Lukenbill said, "Recycling is something that needs to be important to everybody," and Jennifer Mosbrucker said it's important "to reduce Nevada's carbon footprint."

The net result of this would make less impact on the environment, more money for the recycling center and would make recycling easier for the public.

"The whole project is based on making it more convenient to people," said Hannah Householder.

The group has spent more than a month researching the topic and looked at existing curbside recycling programs in several cities. They see their biggest governmental and financial hurdles as their biggest challenges. Vernon County has control of the recycling center, but Nevada has control over local ordinances.

Cooperation from both entities will be necessary to implement and maintain a successful program; and it will take a lot of money to get a project like this off the ground.

The students have researched that aspect of the project, too, and determined it would take at least $500,000 just to get started. There are several options available for financing such an endeavor. According to the students, there are a variety of grants available for recycling efforts; but that's a bridge the students will cross when they learn if such a program is possible, locally.

The original plan has been "a bit overwhelming" they agreed, but they have an alternative in mind if this goal can't be accomplished. All of the students said they are willing to follow through with the idea until it comes to fruition or collapses. If the major idea is not feasible, they would like to start recycling in small businesses or encourage local businesses to take more cardboard to the recycling center.

Right now, they in need of public opinion -- a potentially important factor in gaining governmental support.

"We need as much public support as we can get," said Mosbrucker.

The students have developed a short survey to gather information about whether people in the community are interested in such a program, and the information will be used to formulate a further course of action in the plan.

Anyone can take the survey, at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KNMTFCL or get more information by calling Sudkamp at (417) 448-2020 ext. 5023.