Newport Middle School’s "Green Team," an innovative, community service-oriented
course designed for 7th and 8th graders, not only provides a cleaner and more cheerful campus, but also equips students with real-world job skills. The Green Team program focuses on instilling a sense of responsibility and leadership among students by engaging them in various sustainability projects around the school campus. The 30 students on the Green Team work on eight different teams: recycling, custodial, media center, garden crew, beautification, kitchen crew, promotion team, and a support crew. Working independently
across various campus areas, these teams allow students to assume non-traditional leadership roles and build confidence through their contributions to the school community.
The program’s structure fosters an environment where students can excel outside traditional classroom settings. “Most of the tasks they perform are low-skill, but can be accomplished and done well in a class period,” said Chris Martin, Green Team Program Coordinator. “This is another way that students can take pride in the work they do even if it's a seemingly minor task. They can see the impact it has immediately.” As part of their team participation, students are often working independently in different parts of the building. “This requires a lot of responsibility and over time students build trust with me,” Martin explained. “I feel this is an important piece to the success of the Green Team. Students need those opportunities to prove themselves to adults and their peers. This helps build that sense of agency and confidence in themselves.”
According to Martin, the Green Team is not just about keeping our school clean; it's about building future leaders and responsible citizens. By working on these sustainability projects, students gain valuable job skills, enhance their resumes, and most importantly, develop a sense of pride in their work and their ability to make a positive impact on their environment.
The program also serves as a unique platform for students who may not find traditional academic success to shine as leaders within their school community. “It gives those students the opportunity to have those little win's at some point throughout their school day, that they may not feel in other spaces,” explained Martin. “Even if it's just from sweeping the steps really well or weeding a garden bed to completion, they can earn that little boost from accomplishing something.”
Bodhi Appling, a 7th grader, is in his first year on the Green Team and said it is really fun. “It keeps us active for a long time and helps our community and our school.” Kathryn Davis, also a 7th grader, agreed. “I like the freedom of it and learning real life skills,” she said. To date this school year, the Green Team has achieved notable accomplishments, including the collection of over 55 pounds of trash from around the school building, diversion of an average of 58 pounds a week of food waste from landfills, and the collection of $217.70 through bottle and can recycling.
Additionally, the program has successfully certified 60 students with Oregon Food Handlers Cards, underscoring its commitment to practical, employable skills development. Funds raised through the recycling of bottles and cans are used to finance field trips and purchase new tools for the program, further enhancing the educational experience for the Green Team members. Anyone wishing to support the Green Team fundraising efforts are encouraged to designate their Bottle Drop donations to Newport Middle School Green Team.
