Poly’s Composting System Teaches Students Fundamentals of Chemistry

Poly has an exciting array of Sustainability Initiatives inside and outside the classroom. One such example is an Integrated Science project developed by Teddy Rountree-Shtulman ’24 during his junior year. Poly has on-site composting bins that convert our school’s organic waste into nutrient-rich soil. Teddy’s idea was to involve ninth graders in the process by learning about composting and testing the soil’s temperature over time to understand the biological process that happens in our bins. The experience also counted as Student Community Engagement (SCE) Significant Experience Credit.

“I was just grateful to see ninth graders learn about why it is important to compost, and those same ninth graders yelled at their friends when they threw their trash in the wrong bins,” said Teddy. “They had learned the importance of composting and used that information to influence their friends and the school.”

Through hands-on experiences, students learned about the connection between chemistry and Poly’s sustainability practices. In chemistry, students learned about heat exchange and heat flow, as seen in the variable temperatures of the composting pile. Students made a PowerPoint presentation about what they learned, including how the heat could be harnessed for further carbon reduction.

“I recall some kids saying, ‘I didn't know we did this with the food waste we put in those green buckets!’” said Rachel Dunham, Upper School Science Instructor and one of Teddy’s mentors for this project. “I’m glad students were better able to understand ‘the why’ behind the food waste sorting system on campus and how we are making our practices more sustainable."

One thrilling aspect of this experiment is that it will continue with the Upper School Student Community Engagement Council this year. As new students and employees come to Poly, we hope others will be able to learn about our composting system.