BROOMFIELD, Colo. – The final results for the 2025-26 Million Cans Recycling Contest was announced by The Recycling Society and Can Manufactures Institute.
Between the 56 participating schools across 14 states, a total of 3,065,195 individual cans and 77,577 pounds of aluminum were recycled nationwide, according to the official press release.
"What I especially love is teaching kids that recycling is a tangible action that can work to protect and strengthen our communities and the environment around us, including wildlife and sea creatures. These elementary students in 14 states recycled more than 3 million cans this year and raised approximately $56,000 for their schools. They aren't just collecting cans, they're changing behaviors in their communities and becoming real-life recycling superheroes. We couldn't be more proud,” said Jessica "Scuba Jess" Alexanderson, Executive Director, The Recycling Society and co-author of The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans.
Prospect Ridge Academy partnered with The Recycling Society for this year’s Miner Mania; an annual tradition that brings the entire K12 student body together for a service-based project benefiting the greater community.
As the participating school from Colorado in the competition, PRA finished sixth overall in the national competition by recycling 1,837 cans per student, winning a $500 bonus and an additional $250 state prize for states with only one school. PRA’s final total of 189,175 individual cans across the entire K-12 – led by 115,231 cans in elementary – was the third highest mark of any participating school.
The Miners’ success in the competition not only helped contribute to one of the country's most measurable, youth-led recycling programs in the United States, but it also helped raise $3,765.75 for the school from recycling cans with campaign partners, Rocky Mountain Recycling.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work that our entire K-12 student body and families did with this initiative. We support charities every year with Miner Mania. But this year was really unique in the sense that we saw all students, from all levels, show consistent enthusiasm and dedication to a yearlong project,” said PRA Executive Director, April Wilkin.
Wilkin added that she is extremely grateful to Dan Cosio, a PRA parent and the Commercial Director of Packagin at Alumnium Dynamics.
“Dan Cosio’s passion for improving Colorado’s recycling rate – which is currently just 16% statewide – was really what led to our partnership with ‘Scuba Jess’ and The Recycling Society,” Wilkin said. “I think this challenge has inspired some lifelong recyclers in the PRA community. The kids and our families really understood the cause, were committed to it and showed up in a big way all year long.”