DIXFIELD – Kristin Chambers was surprised that Dirigo Middle School didn’t have a recycling program when she arrived as a student teacher in March.

Chambers decided to do something about it.

The seventh-grade science teacher, whose mentor teacher is David Buck, got all her seventh-graders on board, plus some students from Jon Longley’s special education classes, to launch a recycling program in time for Earth Day.

“Now, if my students see someone throw away a piece of paper, they do something about it,” said the University of Maine at Farmington senior.

Not only did the new recycling program encourage teachers and students to place paper, newspapers, clear glass, certain plastics and cardboard in bins in each classroom supplied by the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, but it has prompted some of the parents of the seventh-graders to start recycling at home.

Cliff Boynton, a seventh-grader and Dixfield resident, said he makes sure his family recycles, too.

He and others in his class created flyers and made presentations in classrooms about the importance of recycling before the project was launched.

“Recycling saves our Earth. Landfills take up space and some of the stuff we throw away won’t decompose,” he said.

Wendy Moro, another seventh-grader from Dixfield, said she also made presentations and flyers and encouraged her family to recycle.

“My parents were very happy that we were doing this,” she said.

Each day, students in Longley’s class collect the bins, said Chambers. Then, periodically, the recyclables are hauled away.

Tyler Stone, also from Dixfield, said he is working on getting his family to recycle. Student Cote Hall said his family was already recycling some things, but now recycles more.

“Miss Chambers inspired me,” he said. “I feel kind of good to help save the Earth and everything in it.”

He said he plans to continue after Chambers leaves later this month.

Chambers said Buck will continue the program once her student teaching requirement is completed.

“There were attempts before (I came), but were unsuccessful. These students are really into it,” she said.

During the first day’s collection, she said 32 pounds of paper and three pounds of plastic were gathered for recycling.

That’s a good start.

“We’ve had support from everyone,” said Chamber, who plans to teach environmental science.