Students in the Pathways Program at Cheney Middle School started a school recycling program last fall. Yesterday they were excited to receive Level I Green Certification from Washington Green Schools.

Washington Green Schools is a nonprofit organization designed to help schools go green. They provide educational material and certifications with the hope that every school in Washington will help create a sustainable region by transforming their school environments. There are currently 234 participating schools. Right now only 10 schools in Spokane County are involved.

Cheney Middle School is one of only three schools that have certification in Spokane County. Joni Kent, the Pathways teacher, started the recycling program as an extension of the life skills training they do in class. Pathways focuses on teaching the students not only general academics, but also life skills that will help them succeed outside of school later on.

The Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency is hosting a natural yard waste drop off for residents of outlying areas of Spokane County. The event is aimed at deterring residents from burning debris which is prohibited in most of the county. There will be three drop off locations in Fire Districts 4, 9 and 10.

Each location will also host a free composting seminar. The seminar is provided by Spokane Master Composters/Recyclers. People who complete the training with Spokane County ID will receive a home compost bin. Each location will also offer a burn barrel exchange. Residents can exchange their prohibited burn barrels for a compost bin while supplies last. 

Residents can drop off debris on Saturday, April 13, between 10 am and 3 pm.

Drop-Off Locations:

North: Fire District 4, Station 49, Hwy 395 & Monroe Rd; Composting Seminar at 10am

Northwest: Fire District 9, Station 93, 9915 W. Charles Rd., Nine Mile Falls; Composting Seminar at 12pm

West: Fire District 10, Station 10-5, 9921 W. Trails Rd.; Composting Seminar at 2pm

The U.S. Government is using competition to get America's youth interested in math and science.

Several middle school students from around our area are participating in a regional competition for the 23rd Annual National Science Bowl, put on by the Department of Energy.

In the regional competitions, teams of four are asked "tough mathematical problems and tested on their knowledge of a vast number of areas including astronomy, biology, Earth science and physics."

Middle school students from Centennial, Chase, All Saints, Kettle Falls, Creston, Lincoln and Moscow will all be part of the competition.

For the past 23 years, more than 225,000 students have participated in what has become one of the nation's largest science competitions. For 2013, about 9,500 more high school students and 4,500 middle school students are expected to participate.