Teaching grad wins grant for worm compost

By C. Brandon Chapman, College of Education

aakre-teacher-winner-80PULLMAN, Wash. – An elementary teacher is getting paid to let her students play in the dirt.

Stephanie Aakre, a recent Washington State University graduate, won a $250 grant through the One Class at a Time program sponsored by a local bank and TV station in Helena, Mont. Her third-grade class will purchase a worm compost community with the money.

Aakre was surprised at work with the announcement, delivered by her husband, principal and a TV news crew.

“The camera lady was a WSU grad too!” said Aakre, who earned her master’s degree in teaching from the WSU College of Education.

The nice thing about a worm compost, she said, is that it doesn’t stink like most compost.

“Our district’s middle school, which is right down the street, has a community garden,” she said. “We plan to use the compost in that garden.”

Another benefit: “Our class pet is going to be a worm!”