The Athens High School Recycling Program was started in the school year 1991/92 by a former student Dan Bain and teacher Tom Stork. The Recycling Program thrived for a year or so and then fell by the wayside. In 1996, Dan’s brother Will Bain, Mr. Stork, Robert Weinfurtner and several other teachers and faculty decided to pick the program back up again. The main purpose was to knock out three big recyclable waste streams: cardboard, paper, and aluminum cans. The first cardboard recycling dumpster was installed by the group and an awareness program around the school was begun as well.

The program flourished until the year 2000, when the halls of AHS where renovated. Construction caused the program to be put on hold for two years. In 2002, Mr. Weinfurtner’s Advanced Ecology class undertook the task of revitalizing the program in the school and presently the program operates on a daily basis.

Goals and Objectives of the Recycling Program:

The Recycling Program serves many purposes and has many goals and objectives to fulfill in order to successfully make a positive impact on the school and environment.

Goals and Corresponding Objectives:

     1.) Save Money - Each year the school uses approximately $236 a month to remove waste from the property. A successful recycling program can cut this figure significantly by creating less waste and non-reusable waste to be disposed of.
     2.) Help the surrounding community’s environment - By recycling, Athens High School students and faculty help to clear the area of waste and litter, allowing the surrounding community to remain beautiful.
     3.) Teach students how to protect their natural resources - When recycling, students learn to respect the environment while also learning the value of reusing non-renewable natural resources to protect the future land.
     4.) Aid organizational skills – The recycling program requires quite a bit of excellent organization, and by implementing the program students learn the universal skills needed for life.
     5.) Keep Athens High School’s campus clean - A clean campus environment provides for a better learning experience. Living and working in a dirty environment is unhealthy.
     6.) Provide a sense of pride in the school as a part of the Athens community - Students who participate in the program begin to see the effect that recycling has on the school area, and acquire a sense of pride about their accomplishments and the ensuing beauty.