Norris High School student organizes recycling event to help his community

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Spencer Jacobs, a soon to be senior, came up with an idea to help his community by organizing and hosting a one-day metal recycling drive for the Norris School District community.  

All proceeds from the Metal Recycling Drive will be donated to the Norris School District Backpack Program. 

The program offers families free groceries for weekends and school breaks. 

He said it’s an important project for him as it helps the community in many ways. 

“The part that I really like about this Eagle Scout project is it’s getting rid of waste metal,” Jacobs said. “And it’s helping families feed and eat.”

This isn’t the first time Jacobs has taken on a leadership role to help others. We interviewed him back in 2020 on a different mission. 

“A couple of years ago I was the same kid that made ear savers,” Jacobs said. “I made about 4,000 of them.”

He sent them to health workers all across the U.S. But now he is helping his local community, which exceeded his expectations.

“I was expecting maybe a roll off or two at the very end there, but we’ve done six so far, so the community has been willing to help out in this.” 

A local business has also joined him in the effort. 

“How this is going to work basically is, the metal is going through Martell Metals, a very local company,” Jacobs said.

The metal will be melted down and the company will pay for it. That money will then go towards the backpack program.