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In 2006, Katie Swanson — a teacher at Calverton Elementary School in Beltsville — asked her third-grade students to list some of the world's biggest environmental problems, and explain how the students could personally help solve them.

"Almost all of the kids came up with an idea of starting a club to tell other people about them," said Swanson of Silver Spring, who began teaching in 2006 after spending five years as an environmental attorney. "So, we did."

Four years later, those ideas have become the school's Save the World Environment Club, which has successfully lobbied for paper recycling at the school, planted trees on campus and picked up trash as far away as Washington, D.C. The 16-student club's work has earned acclaim from teachers, parents and even the United Nations and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"If one person does a good deed to help save the world, a million people can do it," said fifth-grader Onyinye Obiefuna, 11, of Beltsville. "It can spread on to the world and help the whole world."

One of the club's earliest projects was in 2007, when members wrote letters to then-county schools Superintendent John Deasy, asking for paper recycling at the school. The county system — which does not require individual schools to recycle — provided a large, metal paper-only recycling bin, which is paid for by the county and maintained by paper manufacturer Abitibi Bowater.

"We had over 800 kids, and they were all throwing paper in the trash," said sixth-grader Shagun Sharma, 11, of Beltsville. "We researched facts and everything about how we can save paper and what the effects are."

Since then, members have organized litter pick-ups, planted gardens outside the school and designed pro-environment posters and artwork, including a giant dove made from recycled materials that they presented to animal researcher Jane Goodall at a speech she gave at Georgetown University last September.

This year, the EPA selected Calverton as the Mid-Atlantic elementary school recipient of its 2009 President's Environmental Youth Award, given each year to a school group that positively affects the environment. A poster designed by third-grader Sophia Dada, 9, was also selected by the UN as part of an international artwork project.

"I just feel good about being able to help this [club,]" said Sophia of Beltsville, whose poster had an anti-global warming message written in bright colors.

The club celebrated Earth Day on April 22 by planting 15 trees outside the school, including two pink dogwoods near the front entrance dedicated to former secretary Anne Schlossenberg, who died of cancer in 2003, and teacher Allegra James, who died in 2008.

The club also participated Saturday in an annual trash cleanup at the National Zoo in the District. Swanson said the club has given students a chance to expand their horizons and help their surrounding community.

"Most important of all, they're getting empowerment," Swanson said. "They're realizing that even if you're a kid, what you say matters and people will listen to you."