CEVEC Students Learning Through Recycling

Cuyahoga East Vocational Education Consortium teachers are using recycling to teach students with disabilities about work and life skills.

CEVEC Principal Cheryl Schwartz and Innovative Options teachers presented information about their recycling program at the May meeting of the Mayfield Board of Education.

A mini grant from the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District helps fund the program, which involves tasks such as shredding paper and placing the paper in recycling bins, as well as cutting, counting and packaging box tops and Campbell's soup labels for fundraising programs.

Plastic bottles, cans, cardboard and plastic bags are also recycled. Glass bottles are given to an artist, who repurposes them as cheese trays or business card holders – showing students how materials can be used for other means.

Caps on plastic bottles cannot be recycled; however, a use was found for them in creating a sign with the message, "CEVEC recycles."

The program also teaches about taking care of the environment. For Earth Day, students cleaned up areas of Alpha Park.

Another grant was applied for in February to set up recycling programs at Lander and Center elementary schools.