The 'Eagle Times' Student Newspaper: Features

Eleven-year-old helps environment

Efforts earn her national attention

By Erika Massek

April 19, 2007

When people walk around their neighborhood, they see leaves and branches lying on the ground. Well, Silver Lake Grade School fifth-grader Stacy Wade not only found a way to recycle that yard waste, but her efforts won her a trip to Hawaii.

Wade is one of four winners of a national energy conservation contest, Igniting Creative Energy Challenge, sponsored by Johnson Controls Inc., Philips Lighting Company, and the United States Energy Association, and administered by the National Energy Foundation. She competed against 2,000 entries with her scrapbook titled "Recipes for Recycling." The scrapbook focused on how she and her dad work to save the environment while raising money for her college education.

Wade said she found out about the contest from her teacher and father.

"I found out from my teacher, Mrs. Larson. She gave the information to my dad and then my dad told me about it. I entered the contest because I like to recycle, and it's good for the environment," she said.

Her prize package included a paid vacation to Hawaii for her and one parent. The Wades paid for a third ticket and Stacy and her parents enjoyed the island from April 10 to 16. While in Hawaii, the Wades were treated like royalty with a 55-minute helicopter ride around the island of Kauai, horseback riding, tubing through caves, a picnic, and a luau.

Wade, who was featured on the CNN news station and local media including Channel 27 news, Channel 13 news, Channel 49 news, and the Topeka-Capital Journal, will also travel to Washington D.C. for an Energy Efficient Forum on June 12 and 13. This trip was also part of the prize package.

On a separate note, Wade's scrapbook also earned her first place in the Get Caught Recycling! contest sponsored by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Wade competed against 10 Kansans across the state and received first place at the 2006 state fair. She won $2,500 to put toward a college savings account.

Wade and her dad, Kenneth, collect grass clippings, tree limbs, and leaves to put in their chipper to make mulch. They put the mulch around flowers in their yard and also their neighbors' yards. Wade also grows trees from the seeds in the mulch and sells them at the citywide garage sale in Silver Lake and also gives the trees to her neighbors.

In return, her neighbors drop off old appliances in her driveway for her to recycle. S. Wade and her dad spend seven to 10 hours per week tearing the appliances apart. They clean and separate the pieces into several 5-gallon buckets. S. Wade has recycled more than 5,700 pounds of metal and has saved $900 from her recycling efforts.

K. Wade commented that he decided to recycle with his daughter so they could spend time together.

"This was a way we could spend time together, and at the same time, help the environment and teach her how to earn a dollar," he said.

S. Wade stated that she started recycling at a young age.

"I started recycling when I was five years old. I recycled the same things I recycle now: metals and yard wastes," she said.

S. Wade commented that her dad inspired her to recycle.

"He said when he was a kid he earned his own money by recycling. I think it is important to recycle because it keeps items from going to landfills. I would say to others if you recycle, it helps the environment and you," she said.