Outgoing Nogales High School Student Heads Efforts to Resurrect School & City Recycling Programs

NOGALES – June 17, 2009 – At first glance, it seems odd that anyone nicknamed "Waffles" would be a man of action.

But don't let his nickname full you - Rafael Camacho Jr. is all that and more. The outgoing Nogales High School senior was the driving force behind the resurrection of the school's recycling program. And his efforts may help reinvigorate an entire city's recycling program as well!

Photo: Public Works Director Flavio Garcia, Javier Solis and Nogales Student Body President - Rafael "Waffles" Camacho.

Camacho, the outgoing Nogales High School student council president, convinced fellow student council members to launch a recycling program in conjunction with the City of Nogales.

"The city had tried a recycling program in the past, but it never really took off," explained Javier Barajas of Nogales Unified School District #1. "Waffles decided to make this a school project. Through his initiative, he began negotiations with the mayor, the public works director and our high school principal, which resulted in the city bringing in approximately 65 recycling bins. The bins were placed in classrooms, hallways and throughout the campus, and were emptied weekly... by student council volunteers."

Photo: From top left, Sarah Molera, Melissa Delgado, DeeDee Padilla, Student Body Treasurer - Tasha Harrison, Student Body Vice President - Stacy Lopez, Public Works Director - Flavio Garcia, Public Works employee - Javier Solis, Student Body President - Rafael "Waffles" Camacho (far right) and Freshman Representative Ryan Thomson (front).

Camacho, who is currently a freshman at the University of Arizona, said the need for a school recycling program was painfully apparent.

"...I began noticing the immense amount of trash loads Nogales High School would collect," Camacho said. "This was a mixture of food, milk cartons, papers that teachers and students would throw away and loads of stored files teachers would get rid of at the end of every year. It was a shame seeing how much paper was being thrown away, along with the milk cartons and plastic."

Camacho said like the city, the school had tried recycling projects before, but they had never taken off. He decided to use his position as student body president to see if he could make a lasting difference on campus.

"My goal last year...was to start a recycling project that would enable students to learn about the necessity of recycling," Camacho explained, "and to embrace the notion that each and every one of them could make a difference ...."

Photo: Sr. Class President, Cris Arroyo (pushing bin) and Ryan Thomson (in bin)

Camacho said the staff at Nogales High School was supportive throughout the campaign.

"Many of the teachers designated a day to discuss the new program, and of course advocate for the new habit we were trying to instill into the students...," Camacho said. "The teachers would remind the students to recycle any paper they did not want, including plastic bottles and other recyclables within the class room."

While Camacho and the student council received tremendous support from the staff, they found the student body would need a little nudging after an enthusiastic start. To keep the students invigorated, Camacho and the student council created an eye-catching video displaying the facts about recycling. The video streamed through all the TVs on campus.

Photo: Rafael "Waffles" Camacho (left) and Nogales student council recycling committee

Timing also played an important role in Camacho's efforts to make recycling a reality off-campus as well. While working with Nogales Public Works Director Flavio Gonzalez to get recycling bins to the campus, Gonzalez shared that he was busy trying to bring back recycling citywide as well.

"(Gonzalez) was very interested, and he told me he was starting to amend the recycling program in the City of Nogales, but he hadn't had the ambition and interest he expected...He told me that if (the school project) worked well, it could be used as a symbol of change, and what better way to demonstrate change than to have a high school run and exemplify leadership...for all the community to see."

Photo: Nogales Student Council Recycling Program in Action

Gonzalez's effort to relaunch the city's recycling program currently awaits the approval of the Nogales City Council.

While "Waffles" is now at the U of A, he is convinced the Nogales High School recycling program will continue in his absence.

Photo: Sr. Class President Cris Arroyo and Sr. Class Vice President Alicia Castro

"The recycling program will indeed continue under the leadership of Dari Trujillo, the new student body president for the 2009-2010 school year," Camacho explained. "I know the program... is in good hands, and I have no doubt that the recycling program will remain active for a long time."