Nancy Stoy gets a Green Apple for sustainability at Lacamas Lake Elementary

Custodian teaches college students to maintain college clear by recycling, gardening and conservation

In a world turned the wrong way up by a pandemic, Nancy Stoy continues to be an innovator for college students at Lacamas Lake Elementary.

The 57-year-old custodian doesn’t simply observe youngsters round with a mop, she tells them to seize a brush and a rag and be taught the worth of maintaining their college clear by recycling, gardening, and conserving power, meals and provides.

“I take a look at all the scholars we’ve. If we hold going the best way we’re going, they’re not going to have a inexperienced planet. They’re not going to actually have a future,” Stoy stated. “I need to educate these children to take heed to the world round them and to make the Earth a greater place to dwell. Not just for them however for future generations.”

Stoy’s sustainability practices for the previous 15 years haven’t gone unrecognized. On Friday, she obtained the Inexperienced Apple Award from Clark County Inexperienced Colleges.

“She is only a true chief. I stroll into the constructing and I see college students gathering round her asking what they’ll do to assist,” stated Michelle Sanow, Environmental Outreach Specialist with Clark County Inexperienced Colleges.

“Nancy doesn’t appear to ever stop. She’s all the time occupied with the subsequent factor we are able to do. What’s the subsequent greatest enchancment? What’s the subsequent class we are able to certify in? What’s the subsequent factor to be taught?” Sanow added. “Even when Nancy most likely certifies in each class and has received each award, she’ll nonetheless proceed discovering issues that may be improved. That’s simply her coronary heart and her character.”

Story’s Inexperienced Group ranges from 25 to 50 college students per yr. It has gotten so well-liked, she has separated them into completely different teams. The cleansing group helps Stoy arrange and take down the tables within the cafeteria on daily basis. The recycling group separates rubbish into the suitable bins. The gardening group learns easy methods to develop their very own meals. And the power group strives to preserve electrical energy within the constructing.

“Nancy exemplifies the perfect of who we need to be in Camas on a regular basis,” stated Superintendent Jeff Snell. “The largest distinction she makes is within the lives of youngsters. She’s launched their want to be scientists, their want to be curious and their want to serve others.”

Even the coronavirus pandemic couldn’t cease Stoy from saving the world. She reached out to the scholars on Zoom and created conservation initiatives they may do from residence. Stoy additionally contacted members of Clark County Waste Connections they usually led the scholars via a digital tour of the switch station.

“Some Inexperienced Group leaders are academics, in order that they already had that contact with the scholars

However for Nancy being a custodian, she didn’t have any connection arrange with the scholars,” Sanow stated. “To see Nancy take that initiative, get previous the technical obstacles, be taught new issues and proceed to encourage her college students impressed all of us.”

Stoy was blown away by the initiatives the scholars got here up with from residence.

“I feel the house college mission was the perfect factor ever,” she stated. “Whether or not we’re collectively or aside, these children could make a distinction on this yr. And so they have realized that this yr.”

Lacamas Lake Elementary College Principal Julie Mueller appreciates how Stoy will get college students concerned in her “enjoyable.”

“Generally her enjoyable is washing tables. Generally her enjoyable is sweeping the ground. Generally her enjoyable is sorting recycling and rubbish. Or her enjoyable is pulling weeds, and she or he pulls our youngsters alongside,” Mueller stated. “Nancy finds the enjoyable in work, doing what’s proper, being a servant in the neighborhood and taking pleasure in what you do. She’s only a mannequin for that, and children need to be part of it.”

The Inexperienced Apple Award isn’t going residence with Stoy. It’s going within the trophy case on the college. She hopes she will be able to push that mop round for an additional 10 years and sweep future Leopards up in all of the enjoyable.

“This award means our college is acknowledged for serving to the planet. It not solely acknowledges me but it surely acknowledges the scholars,” Stoy stated. “They’re those who just about do all of the work. That is an award for them greater than it’s for me.”