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Sustainability
Check out the ongoing Sustainability projects we're working on this year!
Sustainability Staff Leads
Kate Annamreddy
Art Teacher
I am from Baltimore, MD. My favorite children's book is Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty.
Allison Hutto
Music Teacher
I am passionate about helping children develop an understanding of our environment, the importance of growing sustainable food, and the value of making thoughtful choices that support a healthy planet. I believe in the power of outdoor learning to inspire curiosity, connection, and care for the natural world.
Tamatha Stoker
Advanced Academic Coach
I am from Arlington, VA. My favorite children's book is The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.
Hydroponic Gardens
Discovery Elementary is home to three hydroponic garden systems: one created by staff and families, a Fork Farms FlexFarm, and a Tower Garden. Throughout the school year, students grow lettuce and other leafy greens, which are harvested and donated to the cafeteria. Any surplus produce is donated to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) to support those in need.
Each grade level has a specific job that connects to their science standards, ensuring hands-on involvement throughout the year. Students not only learn about sustainable food production and cutting-edge agricultural practices but also experience the rewarding opportunity of giving back to the community through their donations to AFAC.
Outdoor Gardens
Discovery’s outdoor fruit and vegetable garden features 20 raised beds, providing a hands-on learning space for students. Fourth and fifth graders have the opportunity to participate in a dedicated gardening class, where they research, plant, and care for the garden beds. They also learn from Master Gardeners from MGNV about various gardening topics. All students frequently visit the garden, excited to observe the growth process, from pollination to the transformation of flowers into fruits and vegetables. Their favorite part, of course, is tasting the fresh produce once it’s ripe! We also maintain a garden website throughout the school year, so everyone can stay informed about what’s currently planted and visit the garden to see the progress firsthand. Check it out here!
Food Waste Sorting & Composting
In the Dining Commons, students sort breakfast and lunch waste into 6 different sections to responsibly dispose of all their waste. Students separate liquid waste, recycling, trash, compost, trays (to compost), and Food Bus items to donate.
Our composting is a new project in 2025 and is generously funded through Arlington Community Foundation and Nestlé USA.
EcoAction
EcoAction is a student-led organization that meets monthly to explore important sustainability topics through presentations from field experts or by participating in hands-on green projects. As “Green Leaders” of our school, students take the knowledge they gain and share it with their classmates to inspire broader environmental awareness.
Past activities have included engaging presentations on watersheds from EcoAction Arlington, building birdhouses for our campus, preparing healthy dips using vegetables from our school gardens, and learning about “Energy Vampires” and how to reduce energy waste.
EcoSchools Green Flag
Each year, Discovery’s staff and students collaborate to submit an application for the National Wildlife Federation’s EcoSchools Green Flag program. We are proud to have earned the program’s highest honor, the Green Flag, every year we have applied: in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024.
The photo shows students watching student-created stop motion eco-films.
Black Out Fridays
Every Friday, Discovery students participate in Black Out Fridays by turning off classroom lights and learning with natural daylight. With the support of floor-to-ceiling windows in most classrooms and Solatube skylights that bring sunlight into interior spaces, we’re able to significantly reduce our energy use while maintaining a bright and engaging learning environment. Lights in common areas are also turned off, allowing natural light to guide our day and reinforcing our school’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
NexTrex Recycling Challenge
Discovery is proud to participate in the NexTrex Recycling Challenge, an initiative to collect 1,000 pounds of recyclable “stretchy” plastic—including plastic bags, bubble wrap, and retail mailers—between March 2025 and March 2026.
Select 4th and 5th grade students take part in a dedicated class during the school day, where they learn about the program’s guidelines, create educational materials for the school community, and manage the weekly sorting and weighing of the collected plastic. Once weighed, the plastic is picked up by parent volunteers and delivered to local retail stores for Trex to collect and repurpose into eco-friendly outdoor decking products.
Keep up with our progress on the challenge here!
Food Bus
As part of our waste sorting initiative, students are encouraged to donate unopened, prepackaged food items left over from school breakfasts and lunches. At the end of each lunch period, these items are placed in a dedicated “Food Bus” refrigerator. Each week, parent and student volunteers collect the donations and deliver them to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).
During the 2023–2024 school year, our students proudly donated 3,590 pounds of food to AFAC—diverting a significant amount of nourishment from landfills and helping support members of our local community.