The New Orleans Saints and Progressive Waste Solutions have teamed up to create a recycling contest among schools in the New Orleans area that concludes Monday, Nov. 30. Schools will earn points not only for recycling, but recycling properly by keeping contamination out of the recyclables and keeping recyclables out of the trash. Schools will also earn points for other sustainable actions that they take as well as student involvement. At the end of the program, the three schools with the most points will be awarded a New Orleans Saints Jr. Training Camp in the spring 2016.

An assembly announcing the contest was held Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies, one of the participating schools. Principal Tamara Warner, Saints wide receiver Brandon Coleman and Diane Crouch, recycling coordinator for Progressive Waste Solutions, spoke to the students about the program and stressed the importance of recycling.

Coleman shared some recycling facts with the students, such as: you can power a light bulb for four hours if you recycle one plastic water bottle.

When asked what it means to give back to the community, Coleman said, "It means a lot, they listen to you because of the platform that I am on in the NFL, so the fact that I can just give a message and they can hold onto it can go a long way and that means a lot to me."

Participating schools will collect recyclable items including newspapers, magazines, cardboard, plastics, aluminum items and steel cans. Students can track the contest on NewOrleansSaints.com as the site features a recycling page with contest updates.

 "We are so happy to be working with the Saints," Crouch said. "The kids get so excited about having the Saints involved in this contest and it's a great way to get kids to not just care, but to also be more excited about the contest by having the Saints be a part of it."

Thirteen schools have committed to participating in the contest including: Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle-Orleans, Airline Park Academy for Advanced Studies, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies, Einstein Charter School, Kipp: McDonogh 15 Middle School, Joshua Butler Elementary, Morris Jeff Community School, Shirley T. Johnson/Gretna Park Elementary, ARISE Academy, Mildred Osborne Charter School, KIPP Believe Primary School and the New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School.