Published May 8, 2017 at 2:36 p.m. 

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Adams Elementary School and Robinson Middle School were both named national winners of the 10th Annual Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, a program designed to help educate students about the importance of recycling.

To capture this year’s top honors in the elementary school category, Adams Elementary students and families recycled 2,291 pounds of polyethylene plastic. Plastics collected included: newspaper sleeves, bread bags, product wrap, cereal liners, food storage bags, ice bags, grocery bags, dry cleaning bags and case wrap.  

“I am so proud of the students and families at Adams Elementary for their dedication to this amazing program,” said Adams Principal Christy Free. “The Trex Plastic Recycling Challenge not only helped our students gain an awareness of the impact recycling has on our community and our world, it also provided them with valuable leadership opportunities.  We look forward to continuing and expanding our recycling efforts at John Adams Elementary.”

To capture this year’s top honors in the middle school category, Robinson Middle students recycled 758 pounds of polyethylene plastic.

“The Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge allows our students to learn about the damaging impact plastic waste can have on our environment, as well as the positive benefits that can result from a simple choice to recycle,” said Robinson Principal Brian Partin.

In recognition of their outstanding efforts, Trex Company, presented the students with a new Trex bench for use at each school, as well as a picture frame made from Trex composite materials to showcase their winner’s certificate.

The Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge pits K-12 schools across the country against one another in a fun and friendly competition to collect and recycle the most plastic bags and other types of polyethylene materials for a chance to win Trex products for their schools.  More than 550 schools participated in this year’s program, collecting more than 258,118 pounds of plastic since the program started last November 15 on America Recycles Day. Instead of going into landfills, that plastic waste will be converted into Trex composite decking.

“Offering a rewarding, hands-on school project, the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge provides students with a better understanding and appreciation for sustainable practices,” said Stephanie Hicks, material resource coordinator for Trex. “After a decade, the program is still growing – with a record number of schools competing this year – and continues to educate tens of thousands of students about environmental responsibility.”

One of the largest recyclers of plastics in the U.S., Trex uses more than 1.5 billion plastic bags to make its eco-friendly, wood-alternative outdoor living products each year. A standard 16-foot Trex board contains recycled material from approximately 2,250 plastic bags. In addition to plastic grocery and retail bags, Trex reuses polyethylene plastic from a variety of common household items – such as case overwraps, bread bags, bubble wrap, newspaper sleeves and dry cleaning bags – to create composite products that offer a superior alternative to wood and an environmentally responsible choice to consumers.

For more information about the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, visit Trex.com/Recycling.

Kingsport City Schools (KCS) is a public school district located in Kingsport, Tenn., serving students in Sullivan and Hawkins county. The district is comprised of 13 schools, including a Pre-K, eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, a high school program of choice and an alternative learning program; with total enrollment over 7,500 students. The vision of Kingsport City Schools is to be, Student Focused … World Class.

KCS has been named the top school district in Tennessee as winner of the 2014 SCORE Prize District Award by the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) and has earned the 2014 Achievement Award in the annual Excellence in Tennessee Recognition Program by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE).

For more information on KCS, visit k12k.com, listen live on WCSK 90.3 FM, The Voice of KCS, read our blog, We Are KCS, or call (423) 378.2100. We’re social too; follow us on Facebook (Kingsport City Schools), Twitter (@KCS_District) and check out our YouTube Channel (KPTSchools).

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