A teacher at Woodward Middle School has received praise from county officials for her earth-friendly work.

County officials and Commissioner Rob Gelder took a trip over to Woodward Middle School recently to honor French teacher and recycling aficionado Susan Knell with an award for Outstanding Achievement in Environmental Education.

Students and staff gathered to hear Gelder tout Knell’s dedication to recycling and the tremendous impact she has had on waste reduction at Woodward.

Knell spends her lunch hour helping students sort their lunch waste into the proper bins for compost and recycling. Carrots and apples that aren’t eaten by the students are passed on to horseback riders who then feed the leftovers to their equine buddies. Other food scraps are also given to backyard chicken owners to provide a little supplemental chow for their feathered friends.

“I am so grateful to our WMS administration and staff members for nominating me,” Knell said.

“I would not have been able to make the progress I have without their support and willingness to pay attention to where everything goes,” she said.

Knell was presented with an award made of recycled glass and a notebook filled with letters of praise and lots of cheers from the Woodward community.