Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty today announced the winning schools for the Department of Sanitation's 2008 Golden Apple Awards, which present cash prizes to schools for completing educational projects on recycling, waste prevention, and neighborhood beautification.

The annual competition (open only to schools in New York City) consists of three contests: TrashMasters! Super Recyclers, showcasing model NYC school recycling programs; TrashMasters! Reduce and Reuse Challenge, rewarding innovative waste prevention practices; and TrashMasters! Team Up to Clean Up, which for the past 30 years has encouraged students to clean up and beautify their schools and neighborhoods.

In each Golden Apple Awards contest, schools competed within their grade division (elementary, intermediate, or high school) for borough and citywide honors by conceiving and completing cross-curriculum projects that met standards established by the Department of Education.

Schools entering the contests, run through DSNY Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling, must demonstrate their students' efforts with essays, photos, drawings, and other classroom work. Submissions are judged by officials from the Departments of Education and Sanitation, other government officials, and representatives from several local environmental organizations. The Golden Apple Awards represent one of a handful of competitions in the entire country that requires the completion of real-world results.

   Citywide Winner schools receive $6,000 each; Borough Winners, $3,000; Runners- Up, $1,500; and Honorable Mention, $750. The NYC Compost Project (funded by DSNY BWPRR since 1998 to provide compost outreach and education to NYC residents, community groups, and landscapers) in each borough also selects a Master School Composter to receive $1,000 and the Golden Shovel trophy.

Sanitation Commissioner Doherty said: "This year's Golden Apple entries show us that in New York City schools, "Going Green" is becoming a reality, as teachers and students are collaborating across subject areas and grade levels to recycle more, waste less, and beautify their schools and neighborhoods. The Department applauds the efforts of every student, teacher, principal, custodian, and parent, who participated in this year's competition."

The complete list of winning schools and descriptions of their projects is posted on the Department of Sanitation's recycling and waste prevention Web site, on the Golden Apple webpage: www.nyc.gov/nycwasteless/goldenapple.