DEP ANNOUCES SIXTH ANNUAL FLORIDA GREEN SCHOOL AWARD WINNERS

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 9, 2014

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850-245-2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us 

DEP ANNOUNCES SIXTH ANNUAL FLORIDA GREEN SCHOOL AWARD WINNERS

~Event celebrates students, faculty and schools for their green school efforts~

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The 2014 Florida Green School Award recipients for each division.  

STREAMSONG - The 2014 award recipients celebrate their environmental impact after the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Green School Award event on Wednesday, Oct. 8. More than 60 attendees gathered, and winners for the statewide competition in each of the five categories were announced. 

The winners of this year’s Florida Green School Awards are:

Student Award: Environmental Club, Miami Spring Middle School, Miami-Dade County

Class Award: Gulf Elementary's 4th and 5th grade class, Lee County

Teacher Award: Linda Gancitano, Driftwood Middle School Academy, Broward County

School Award: Eagles Landing Middle School, Palm Beach County

District Award: Orange County Public Schools

Additionally, the Service Learning Council at Timber Creek High School in Orange County was awarded the 2014 Sustainable Legacy Circle Award.

A list of all Florida Green School Award finalists can be seen here.

The cost savings by the applicants for the 2013 - 2014 awards totaled more than $21 million. This is the second highest annual total cost savings since the program’s inception. Since 2009, participants in the Florida Green Schools program have saved more than $87 million through green school initiatives.

“This year, applicants for the Florida Green School Awards program documented more than $21 million in gross cost savings,” said Mary Yeargan, DEP Southwest District director. “Whether in the form of energy savings, waste reduction, reduced idling or water conservation these cost savings create healthy learning environments and free up resources for school districts.”

The Florida Green School Awards has become part of a larger network called the Florida Green School Network - a partnership with DEP, the Florida Department of Education, Florida Department of Health, including the Florida Pioneering Healthier Communities group, and Sustainable Florida. The network promotes educational initiatives like energy conservation programs, recycling programs, green service learning projects, environmental education projects, teacher professional development projects and sustainability projects in schools throughout the state.

"Florida schools and districts have established themselves, both in Florida and nationally, as leaders of green school initiatives," said Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. "I appreciate the work of these leaders. Providing effective environmental and sustainability education today will pay off for all Floridians.”

The Green School Awards started in 2009 when the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Education and a host of community partners recognized students, teachers, classes, schools and school districts for their environmental achievements. The awards are presented to participants whose outstanding efforts demonstrate success in programs that enhance the quality of education, while preserving the environment.

To learn more about the Florida Green School Network, click here.