SANDPOINT — Green is the color of hope, thanks to an environmentally responsible group of fourth- and fifth-graders attending Hope Elementary School.

At the outset of the school year, the students in Kathleen Olson's combined classroom decided to take up the U.S. Green Building Council of Idaho Green Schools Challenge to become better stewards of their educational environment.

"USGBC Idaho is energized to start a green school movement in our state, and we hope your school will join us by entering the Green Schools Challenge ... Green Teams may be classrooms, a grade level, an entire school or a student club," according to the organization.

"My class managed the school garden, with the help of Lyn Easterbrook and Margery Clements," said Olson. "So, they really wanted their projects to be centered on what would support our garden. Thus the idea of composting, recycling, garden preparation, and for added fun they did vampire electronics."

At last week's school board meeting, fifth-graders Emily Myers and Natalie Fluckiger, and fourth-graders Ryan Matteson and Ethan Howard treated the trustees to a presentation of their projects.

"We sold two flavors of sunflower seeds from our garden at the school's Spring Fling," said one student. "We raised $1,600 (for the projects)."

They told the board about putting a recycling bin in every classroom and a large collection receptacle in the hallway to encourage classmate participation. Recycling at school helps reduce the volume of trash in landfills, the students said.

They made a composting bin available in the teachers' lounge for coffee grounds. They placed another in the cafeteria so people could turn their lunch scraps into garden fertilizer.

They also focused on the waste of energy caused by vampire electronics -- those gadgets and devices that drain minute amounts of electricity, even when they are not turned on. The students encouraged school officials to unplug electronic equipment when it is not in use to stop the energy drain, they told the trustees.

"Vampire electronics suck electricity, like vampires suck blood," said a student. He showed photos the class had taken around the school of unused equipment plugged into receptacles.

Perhaps best of all, the fourth- and fifth-grade green team showed the informational materials on recycling, composting and vampire electronics they had made for students in other classrooms, so the entire school could join in making Hope greener.

Even though USGBC Idaho did not select the school's green projects for top honors, Olson considers the effort a success.

"The judges stated they liked our presentation and all that was accomplished," she said. "The (students) really did accomplish a lot this year! I am very proud of all their hard work and dedication to their beautiful school!"

Members of the board agreed. After posing some questions to the green team presenters, they applauded and thanked them for sharing their project.