Highlighting the importance of reducing and reusing wasteful materials, a Lansing elementary school celebrated America Recycles Day last week.

Wainwright Elementary School, 4200 Wainwright Ave. in Lansing, is the latest addition to 15 Lansing-area schools that set up recycling programs. The official kick off of the program coincided with America Recycles Day on Friday.

The program is the first step in educating children on the value and benefits of recycling, program originator and Wainwright science coordinator Sarah Walker said.

"I personally believe it's an important issue for all students to learn," Walker said. "Both function and education is the goal of our recycling program."

The program operates in a similar fashion to Lansing's curbside recycling program. Lansing residents, like Wainwright students, leave recyclable materials in designated green boxes for curbside pickup with trash collection.

Walker said that the program was a measure of the school's curriculum, especially targeted to first and second graders - an age group she feels stands to gain the most from recycling education.

"We decided it was really good for the kids circularly, so we decided to do it," Walker said. "I'd like to go to a recycling site with the first or second grade to see how these materials are used."

Extending recycling programs to schools has become the focus of Lansing recycling officials, said Lori Thomas, Lansing's assistant recycling coordinator.

Thomas described her position with emphasis on "education and outreach," adding that reaching out to elementary schools to establish recycling programs was a daunting yet worthwhile task.

"It's been a very challenging thing to tackle," she said. "We have tried to meet with principals and let them know the service is available free to all Lansing schools.

"We find mainly there is a teacher who is an avid recycler who sees things thrown away and contacts us to see what can be done about it."

Walker said the basis for the Wainwright program came from those exact circumstances.

"I came to Wainwright in the beginning of October and I noticed there wasn't a recycling program," she said. "I decided that we needed one."

The program has been a success early on, according to Walker. The goal of the program is to educate and instill the value of recycling materials should take some catching on, though, she said.

Students "have had a really good reaction to the recycling program," Walker said. "Though I'm not really sure if they understand what it's all about."