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U.S.
Department of Education
Office of Communications & Outreach, Press Office
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202
FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, June 3, 2015
CONTACT:
Press
Office (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov
Administration
Honors Schools, Districts
and Postsecondary Institutions for Sustainable Facilities, Health, and Learning
Practices
White House Council
on Environmental Quality Managing Director
Christy Goldfuss and NOAA Director of Education Louisa Koch joined U.S. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan yesterday to congratulate the 2015 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability
Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees on their achievements at a
ceremony in Washington, D.C.
At the event, 58 schools and 14 districts were honored for their
leadership in reducing environmental impact and costs, promoting better health,
and ensuring effective environmental education. In addition, 9 colleges and
universities were honored with the first-ever Postsecondary Sustainability
Award. Representatives from the schools, districts and postsecondary
institutions received sustainably crafted plaques and banners in recognition of
their achievements.
Duncan also announced a new and improved Green Strides website, which features resources and webinars for all schools to
go green, as well as all past honorees. The new and improved website is sponsored by the Center
for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council.
“I
congratulate these schools, districts and postsecondary institutions for their
commitment to sustainable facilities, health, and classroom practices,” Duncan
said. “By exploring complex sustainability topics that affect our
society, our environment, and our economy, students are learning to solve the
challenges of the future and preparing for jobs that don’t yet exist.”
“President
Obama believes we have a moral obligation to leave behind a cleaner, healthier,
and safer planet for our children and grandchildren,” said Goldfuss. “That’s
why inspiring and preparing the next generation of leaders to tackle the tough
challenges facing our planet is so important. Today’s honorees have shown they
are up to the task, setting an example that schools and districts across the
country can follow.”
"We are building an environmentally literate world that will
be cleaner and safer for future generations through programs such as U.S.
Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools." said Koch.
"The award touches upon elements of NOAA's mission of science, service and stewardship and we acknowledge the honorees as well as all
nominees of this award."
The honorees include 52 public schools and six
private schools serving elementary, middle and high school students. The public
schools include two charter and three magnet schools. Of the 2015 honorees 34
(47 percent) serve a disadvantaged student
body and 19 (23 percent) serve rural students.
Of the nine postsecondary honorees, one-third
are community colleges.
View the list
and the annual highlights
report summarizing the work of each of the 81 U.S. Department of Education
Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary
Sustainability Awardees.
Resources for all schools to move toward the pillars
of the award can be found at www.greenstrides.org. The three pillars are 1)
reducing environmental impact and costs, including waste, water, energy use and
alternative transportation; 2) improving the health and wellness of students
and staff, including environmental health, nutrition and fitness; and 3)
providing effective sustainability education, including robust environmental
education that engages STEM, civic skills and green career pathways.
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