After realizing that the plates used for lunches in Athens Academy’s Tillman Center lunchroom were compostable, seniors Marie and Nina Rutledge recognized that a composting program would significantly reduce the school’s food waste. For the past year, they have been laying the groundwork for this important initiative as part of their Capstone Projects—researching the process and benefits, working with mentors, and talking to local experts.

This fall they have been sharing the details of this new initiative with the students and faculty in the Middle and Upper Schools in advance of the launch of an official composting program on September 16. That’s when the private composting service Compostia will begin weekly pick- ups from the Tillman Center.

This program will significantly reduce Tillman Center waste and mitigate the presence of greenhouse gases that would have been emitted otherwise from the food scraps in the
landfills. Student volunteers are playing an important role in the new program by encouraging their peers to make use of this new Tillman Center resource. Nina and Marie have educated the volunteers so that they can share the benefits of composting as a sustainable alternative with their classmates.

The Capstone Project is an opportunity for Upper School students to explore a passion via four criteria: research, mentorship, experiential learning, and an outward contribution. Later this fall, Marie and Nina will each submit a paper detailing the project, and they will defend the project before a committee of faculty and administrators, similar to a Ph.D. oral defense. Students whose projects are approved by the committee receive the Capstone designation at commencement in May.

Athens Academy is an independent, co-educational school for students in K3 through 12th grade, located on a beautiful 152-acre campus in Northeast Georgia. Now in its 57th year, Athens Academy pursues its mission of “excellence with honor” through academics, athletics, fine arts, and service and leadership. Ranked the #1 private school in Athens, #9 college prep school in the state of Georgia, and #1 private school in Northeast Georgia (Niche.com).

For more information, please contact Kelley Cuneo, communications director, at [email protected] or 706-433-2410.