Our first Sustainability Spotlight of the 2026-27 school year shines on Holly Noser, an 8th grade math teacher and Sustainability Champion at Scott Middle School. Noser took on the role of Sustainability Champion six years ago after noticing the sheer volume of recyclable material the school was generating. She launched the club with just one student and has since grown it into a passionate group of 14 young environmentalists.
The Scott Green Team has come a long way since those early days. What began with students helping carry larger recycling bins has expanded into full building ownership. Club members now sort and collect recycling from every room in the school. The custodial staff have become some of their biggest fans.
“Our main goal is to get the recycling taken care of. The custodians love us because they don’t have to,” Noser said.
Noser has found that her students are largely self-motivated, driven by a genuine desire to contribute to their school community. The recycling process itself is a source of satisfaction, and the club gives friends a chance to spend time together while making a real difference.
“It makes them feel like they’re part of the community because they’re doing something to help keep our school running, and there’s some ownership in that.”
Beyond recycling, the Green Team has embraced Scott’s newly installed solar panels, engaging with the technology firsthand and learning how to adjust them to optimal angles each season. Noser hopes to eventually weave solar energy into the classroom, and the enthusiasm her students have already shown is a promising start.
“The kids were really into it when [the solar installation company] came in and presented,” she said. “They had questions, and were excited about it. And they got excited to go do the cranking and angling too.”
For teachers hoping to launch their own environmental initiatives, Noser’s advice is simple: just start.
“Just do it, because the kids will show up. That’s kind of what happened with me. I was like, this is something I want to do, and then the kids showed up,” she said.
At the middle school level, she believes environmental programs carry special weight, meeting students at a formative moment when their values and identity are taking shape.
“When kids are figuring out who they are and what they’re about, it’s good to have these programs, because they can really make it part of who they are.”
When Noser was highlighted as the “Star teacher of the Month” at Scott back in December 2025, members of the Scott Green Team shared kind words about the impact she has had on them as their club sponsor.
“She always thinks of others and puts others before herself,” one Green Team member shared.
“She is the BEST club sponsor ever,” said another.
Through the Green Team, Noser has been able to inspire students to work hard and be sustainable, aided by the promise of treats along the way.
This year, Noser hopes to grow the team’s solar panel experiences and increase their learning. She also hopes to expand the team’s impact into the lunchroom by creating a dedicated group of compost helpers to support lunchtime composting efforts and ease the load on cafeteria staff.
We are grateful for environmental leaders at LPS like Holly Noser and excited to see where the Scott Green Team goes next, one recycling bin, compost bin, and solar panel at a time.