Inspired by their class curriculum, Deer Park John F. Kennedy Intermediate School environmentally conscious students Gabriellia Mattera and Taylor Kwint­ner have brought their green ideas to the district. Com­bining common concerns of healthy lunches for students and a healthy environment for the world, the girls em­ployed their knowledge of math, science, and English to investigate Deer Park and New York State's waste pro­duction and waste manage­ment resources.

Gabriella and Taylor re­searched official state mate­rials online, reviewed supported print­ed literature, analyzed statistics, and conducted student surveys and inter­views to propose a scenario where the Deer Park School District could par­ticipate in a global green movement. With the help of their teacher, Jennifer Arella, they prepared a detailed visual presentation for the Board of Educa­tion,

which documented the amount of non-biodegradable Styrofoam used by the district annually. As a result, in its Request for Proposals for a new food service provider, the Board included a provision that prohibits qualifiers from using Styrofoam food trays, or any Styrofoam products in the Deer Park schools. Aramark Food Services, which has a history of working with public K-12 school districts, colleges and univer­sities, conference centers and profes­sional sports complexes, and parks and resorts, was ultimately selected. "It makes us all proud to see two young students use their curriculum knowl­edge and motivation to launch a grass roots campaign and research project to better their community and effect posi­tive change," said Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Marino. "Deer Park is moving towards becoming a 'green­er district' and it's nice to see students getting into the act."