ED-Green Ribbon Schools Inspire Other Schools

At the inaugural ED-Green Ribbon Schools awards ceremony, the 78 winning schools were given an important homework assignment.  Each school was challenged to return to their community and adopt a future green school.  These partnerships will help to share best practices in reducing schools’ environmental impact and cost; improving health and wellness; and providing effective environmental and sustainability education. Several 2012 ED-Green Ribbon Schools have already begun to work with schools in their communities:

• Longfellow Elementary School in Long Beach, California has partnered with a local middle school to form a green schools coalition in order to disseminate good practices to area schools.
• Hilltop Elementary in Wheeling, West Virginia has created Sustainable Schools Learning Kits for area schools through the use of a $54,000 grant from an anonymous donor.
• Fishburn Park Elementary School in Roanoke, Virginia participates in a “Green Spot” on a local radio station and previously filmed a segment on “what it takes to be green” for Blue Ridge Public Television. Summer school students weed a neighboring middle school’s garden through the summer, getting a practical lesson on being a good neighbor.
• Grand View Elementary School in Manhattan Beach, California has received visits from three local principals interested in replicating their greening efforts.
• At Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. students work with children at Brightwood Elementary School, Phoebe Hearst Elementary, and St. Coletta’s, a school for students with developmental disabilities.

As you can see, the work is never done for ED-Green Ribbon Schools. In addition to inspiring tomorrow’s biologists, chemists, nutritionists, and engineers, ED-Green Ribbon Schools also have the job of inspiring tomorrow’s green schools. Learn more about the work ED-Green Ribbon Schools are doing in their communities here.  Find resources to help move toward the three Pillars of the award here.  Connect with ED-GRS on Facebook.

Kyle Flood

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