Loyola has begun a composting revolution in the nation. It is the only high school in America running an entirely onsite, fully student-led composting program. After months of hard work, it has diverted over 3,000 pounds of food waste from landfills.
The initiative, supported by Wynbrandt Farms, operates entirely on campus. With four massive compost bins located behind Caruso Hall at the school’s composting site, students sort and manage collected food waste from across campus — including all three Zlicious Eatz locations, faculty meals, student waste and even compost from the Jesuit community living on campus. Two bins are already full, and the remaining two are expected to be filled before the end of the school year, each holding an estimated 1,000 pounds of compost.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” said Steven Wynbrandt, founder of Wynbrandt Farms and mentor for the program. “You are the first student-led group to compost thousands of pounds of all food waste onsite. You’ve made it possible to do this safely, responsibly and consistently, with sensational results.”
Wynbrandt’s patented composting method eliminates the common downsides of composting — no flies, no smells, no pests — while allowing students to manage the entire system themselves.
The initiative has already left a palpable mark on campus culture.
“It’s amazing seeing the difference they’re making,” said Joseph Hernandez Vidal ’26. “It’s cool knowing that our waste is actually going somewhere that matters.”
Students are encouraged to participate through weekly Wednesday morning composting sessions, hosted by the newly forming Composting Cubs club, led by President Dhilan Martin ‘26. The composting bins, easily identified by their green covering, are stationed in key areas around campus to make food waste collection easy and visible.
The program reduces landfill waste and serves as a hands-on sustainability education. The team is aiming to surpass 4,000 pounds of waste diverted by the end of the school year.
The Composting Cubs are turning heads and turning food scraps into something bigger than waste. They’re transforming Loyola into a leader in student-driven environmental change.
