Although their colors are burnt orange and white, UT Elementary School has gone green!  From harvesting plants in their campus garden to minimizing their carbon footprint, the Little Longhorns are learning how to be good stewards of the land.  Recognized as one of Keep Austin Beautiful’s most passionate school partners, the school was celebrated at the organization’s annual Beautify Bash on Nov. 16 at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum.

Keep Austin Beautiful highlighted several of the school’s programs including Generation Zero and Clean Creek Campus. With an emphasis on eliminating landfill waste, students learn how to recycle and compost properly. They’re also learning the benefits of community service, such as cleaning Austin’s watershed.

“The teachers at UT Elementary cast a wide net to connect all their students to the environment, and coordinate numerous projects that keep Austin a beautiful place to live,” stated Andrew Gansky, Keep Austin Beautiful event & development assistant, in the Keep Austin Beautiful blog post.  “We’re thrilled to work with a school so committed to instilling a strong sense of environmental stewardship from a young age. The staff and students have shown incredible commitment to environmental stewardship, and we are excited to recognize the school’s teachers and students with the 2017 Applied Materials Education Award.”