This Earth Day, kids from Metro Atlanta answered the call to think globally and act locally by participating in the 2nd annual Keep Atlanta Beautiful Stepping Lightly in Atlanta Awards Contest presented by Pratt Recycling. Here are the “Top 12” Projects. And you helped celebrate their vision for a greener Atlanta by voting for the most innovative projects in WSB-TV’s People’s Choice Awards!

CONGRATULATIONS to our First Place WSB-TV People's Choice Award Winner: Morningside Elementary with 15,328 votes!

Also, congratulations to our Second Place WSB-TV People's Choice Award Winner: E. Rivers Elementary with 12,689!

An outstanding job by both schools and all of our nominees!

These kids showed us how they have reduced their ecological footprints’ where it matters to them most -- in their homes, their schools and their communities! Our ecological footprint tells us how much land and water we need to live. If it’s too big, it means there may not be enough to go around. That’s why it’s so important to step lightly -- for Atlanta and for our planet.

Our First and Second place winners will be featured as a Going Green Champion of the Week and the story will air on WSB-TV and posted on wsbtv.com.

Please check back in the coming weeks to see these schools featured as our Going Green Champions. And keep looking at their projects -- they're too good to pass up.

See www.keepatlantabeautiful.org for more information!

This award contest was organized in collaboration with Atlanta Recycles, City of Atlanta, Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs, EPA Region 4, Georgia Green & Healthy Schools, Keep Atlanta Beautiful, P2AD, Terracycle and Zoo Atlanta Green Team.

Amira D. – Pop the Trash for Cleaner Water


Amira is a fourth grader who created a school-wide campaign to educate students about litter and how it pollutes our water. She used the posters and the school television news program to publicize the program, and rewarded the classes that picked up the most trash with popsicles. On Earth Day, she plans to work with volunteers on this Litter project. She states, “I learned that people are eager to help support environmental causes.”

PDFS: Amira 1 | Amira 2

Anthony Flannagan/Ben Hill Teen Club: Neighborhood Compost Project


The teen’s goals were to fix up the compost garden at the Outdoor Activity Center (OAC) with compost bins, plants, and landscaping so that people in the West Atlanta community could bring their organic refuse instead of throwing it in the trash. They spent three weeks twice a week working on this project. Students worked to educate the neighbors about composting, and now invite them to use the compost bin as a way to divert organic scraps from the landfill.

DeKalb Truency – Mold & Mildew


The students at Dekalb Truency investigated mold and mildew in their school and researched how it affected their indoor air quality. The students developed a brochure about mold and mildew and proper cleaning steps, which they distributed at the local library. States one student, “We want to teach those who live in Atlanta and Dekalb, … and to help make their indoor air quality better!”

Mold and Mildew Brochure: 1 | 2 | 3

E. Rivers Elementary School (5th, 3rd & Kindergarten)– Organic School Garden


E. Rivers Elementary students have been working on their organic school garden, and teaching others what it means to grow and eat delicious, nutritious foods! Students created garden journals, implemented a vermicomposting system, participated in taste testings and weeded, planted and harvested their garden. As one student stated, “I wish I could go to the garden every day!”

SLIDESHOW: E. Rivers Elementary School (5th, 3rd & Kindergarten)– Organic School Garden

Garden Hills Elementary School… Plant Alien Invasion!


Students at Garden Hills Elementary focused on invasive species since they disrupt ecosystems, and displace native plant and animal species. Students conducted biodiversity surveys on the campus, and rid their campus of invasive species and restored the space with native plants. They also plan to hold a fundraiser for the Nature Conservancy Global Invasive Plant Species Team.

SEE VIDEO AT: www.QuantumShift.tv - video 1 and www.QuantumShift.tv - video 2

LeDejah


LeDejah is a 4th grader at E.L. Miller Elementary. Her project is about water conservation and how to inform the public about how to conserve water given the shortage that Georgia is currently experiencing. LeDejah created a colorful scrapbook to teach others about how water can be saved at home, both inside and out! While the project lasted for one month, she stated that she will continue to conserve water throughout the water ban.

PDF: LeDejah

Morningside Elementary School – Blackout Hour


On March 25, the second graders at Morningside Elementary School sponsored a Blackout Hour which over half of the student body carried out with their families at home. This one-month long project involved several activities, such as researching energy conservation, and creating educational posters and skits about global warming. As an example of what students learned through this project, Bridget B. stated, “Green Power does not use non-renewable power. People should walk instead of ride cars to save our earth!”

PDF: Morningside Elementary Picture

Redan High School, Footprints Left Behind


For one month, Redan High School’s 12th Grade Environmental Science Class students facilitated water saving strategies and monitored the impacts on actual water usage. Students charted changes, and then presented their findings to their water company and classmates. Their findings showed huge reductions in water use. They learned that, “ it only takes a small group to affect a community!”

Sarah Kate- Waste Free Lunch


Sarah Kate is a second grader that launched into lunch…a waste free lunch that is! Sarah Kate is trying to put less waste in the garbage cans at her school by bringing waste free lunches and hopes that other kids at the table will follow her lead. She created a video on how to prepare a waste free lunch.

LINK: gallery.mac.com/katiekedwards

Shadow Rock Elementary School - Saving the Outdoor Classroom!


Students at Shadow Rock Elementary School took one look at their neglected and overgrown outdoor classroom—and knew what they wanted to do for Earth Day. Revitalizing and beautifying these areas was hard work, but they received some direction from the Fernbank Science Museum. Students cleared the trail and pavilion, created colorful bird feeders and planted assorted butterfly bushes. The school felt that this project will “bring pride and a sense of responsibility back into our school and the neighborhood.”

PDF: Shadow Rock Elementary School Picture

Stephenson Middle School- School Recycling Program


Stephenson Middle School implemented an “in school recycling program” for #1 & #2 plastics. They researched the need for recycling, designed bulletin boards, made posters and presented to classes promoting the project. Finally, they arranged for the recyclables to be picked up every two weeks, reducing the schools trash volume!

PDF: Stephenson Middle School Project

William Finch Elementary School: Raising Awareness about Litter & Storm Drains


The Junior Beta Club Fifth Graders at William Finch Elementary School decided to educate their community about the need to “reduce littering because the trash that it thrown on the street rinses into the storm drains and then ends up in our streams and creeks.” Students invited a representative from the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Department to educate and train them about how to care for their water. Afterward, students spread information about this issue through teaching younger students, distributing door notices in their surrounding community and applying curb markers.

PDF: William Finch Elementary School Photo