Kids in Jackson County schools soon will be learning a new lesson — the value of recycling.

Jackson County recently received a $16,500 grant from the Department of Energy and Natural Resources to implement a recycling program within the local school system. The program will begin next year, using Smoky Mountain High School and one as of yet undetermined elementary school as testing grounds.

In 2003, as part of the same move that terminated the Jackson-Macon landfill agreement, Jackson County officials terminated their recycling processing agreement with Webster Enterprises. Under the Webster Enterprises agreement the county was paying to have the recyclables hauled off, but receiving nothing in return for the materials’ sale.

The county contracted with FCR, a recycling company owned by Casella Waste Systems, which pays fair market value for recyclable goods. As a result, the county saved approximately $145,000 — monies that were used to pay part of the $250,000 settlement reached after Jackson terminated its joint-use landfill agreement with Macon County.

The goods collected from the school system will be added to the county’s sellable recyclables, potentially adding revenue to the waste disposal market.

“Hopefully it will catch on system-wide and assist us with our recycling efforts,” said County Manager Ken Westmoreland.