Four years ago, the First Lady launched Let’s Move!, a nationwide initiative to
create a healthier future for our kids and families. Today, Let’s Move! has moved the nation in a healthier direction. Read about the many Let’s Move! successes here.
To demonstrate the national scope of this movement, the
First Lady is encouraging people of all ages, to show her how they move -
through their everyday fitness routine, making better food choices, or by
moving their community toward that new norm - on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
Vine, etc. using #LetsMove. Click here to watch the First Lady explain this online challenge.>>>
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 A
Winning Education Record and Player
Playing in his fourth NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, Secretary
Duncan paced his squad to victory, scoring 20 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and
doling out six assists -- prompting comedian Kevin Hart to give him the
MVP award. Don’t miss this highlight reel. During the game,
the Secretary wore the number 80, a number rarely seen on a basketball jersey
but one representing a record in education. That number -- 80% -- is the
newly announced high school graduation rate, the highest in American
history. “We have so much further to go -- for the one in five students
who don’t graduate; for the many who graduate less than fully prepared for
college; and for the groups of students that, despite recent progress, are
achieving and graduating at lower rates. The potential of American
students is limitless.” Read the Secretary's blog. >>>
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 Connecting All Schools to High-Speed Broadband
On February 4, at a middle school in Prince George’s County, Maryland, President Obama announced major progress on the ConnectED initiative. Preparing America’s students with the skills they need to get good jobs and compete in the global economy will rely increasingly on interactive, personalized learning experiences driven by new technology. But, millions of students lack high-speed broadband access, and fewer than 30% of schools have the broadband needed to teach today’s technology. Under ConnectED, 99% of students will have access to next generation broadband by 2017. That connectivity will help transform the classroom experience for all students.>>>
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Contests
and Awards
Climate Change in Focus
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the National Environmental Education Foundation have launched
an exciting video challenge for middle school students called Climate Change in
Focus. This contest asks middle school
students to make a video that expresses why they care about climate change and
what they are doing to reduce emissions or to prepare for its impacts. Winning videos will be highlighted on
the EPA website and the top three entries will receive cool prizes like a solar
charging backpack. Winning class
projects will receive special recognition for their school. The first 100
entrants will also receive a year’s subscription to National Geographic Kids
Magazine. The
deadline for submissions is March 10.>>>
Young Reporters for The Environment Competition 2014
National Wildlife Federation's Young
Reporters for the Environment USA competition invites students between the
ages of 13-21 to report on an environmental issue in their community in
an article, photo or photo essay, or short video. All entries should
reflect firsthand investigation of topics related to the environment and
sustainability in the students' own communities, draw connections between local
and global perspectives, and propose solutions. First-place winners in the
national competition proceed to the international Young Reporters for the
Environment international competition, joining the entries of students from
more than 25 countries around the world. Submissions are due March 15th.>>>
 Champions of
the Earth
Nominations
are now open for the 2014 Champions of the Earth, the United Nations' highest
environment award that honors outstanding visionaries and leaders in the fields
of environment, Green Economy and sustainable development. Click here to nominate your
Champion of the Earth.>>>
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Discovery
Young Scientist Challenge for Grades 5-8
The Discovery
Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge invites students to create a 1-2
minute video describing a new, innovative solution that could solve an everyday
problem. Ten finalists will be chosen for their passion for science, spirit of
innovation and ingenuity, and effective communication skills. The submission
deadline is April 22nd. Students
could win $25,000, a trip to Costa Rica and other prizes.>>>
Join the largest K-12 sustainability
education movement going by signing up for National Green Week 2014! National
Green Week is an annual event that encourages schools to engage in
sustainability focused lessons, projects or activities between the first full
week in February and the end of Earth Month (April). Schools choose
any week during that time to be their Green Week. In addition, the Green Education
Foundation will be raffling over $10,000 in prizes through Earth Day! >>>
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 International
School Meals Day is March 6th
The 2014 International School Meals Day is March 6th, 2014,
also World Book Day. Schools around the world can celebrate the
Day by promoting healthy eating and learning, using the theme Food
Stories. Schools and organizations can
connect across the world and share their stories about food through established
online education platforms that allow students and teachers to experience
learning and teaching beyond their classroom wall, including Connecting Classrooms and Skype in the Classroom. Check out the Scottish Education Minister's
blog on International School Meals Day here.
Read more about International School Meals Day in this blog by Janey Thornton, PhD,
Deputy Under Secretary, Food Nutrition and Consumer Services.
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Environmental Health Concerns Conference is March 11th
This event in Pittsburgh, PA offers two half-day workshops focused
on improving health outcomes, particularly those of children, by
addressing environmental health concerns. The morning session concentrates
on the impact of the environment on reproductive health and fetal development.
Shale gas drilling and its impact on health, the environment, the economy, and
social systems is explored in the afternoon session.>>>
 National
Wildlife Week is March 17th – 23rd
Water is a
life source for all living creatures and we all depend on having clean
waterways. Over the course of the week from March 17th-23rd, the National
Wildlife Federation and its partners will highlight this connection by
exploring our waterways and the wildlife that depend on them. Discover a
variety of lesson plans for grades K-12
about the water cycle, watersheds, water quality and aquatic wildlife. Sign up to receive email
updates about National Wildlife Week to learn more
about new resources and upcoming events and activities across the country. >>>
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National Public Health Week is April 7th-13th and Healthy
Schools Day is April 8th
Since 2002, parents, teachers, school nurses, custodians,
advocates, and agencies have promoted National Healthy Schools Day activities
nationwide. Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating school
environments or have an established Indoor Air/Environmental Quality program,
the Healthy Schools Network, Inc. invites you to host a local activity that
educates others and celebrates your school’s successes. Participate locally, in
your city or state, or nationally!>>>
The USA
Science & Engineering Festival is April 26th-27th
The USA Science &
Engineering Festival is the country’s national science festival. It was
developed to increase
public awareness about the importance of science and to encourage
youth to pursue careers in
science and engineering by celebrating science in much the same
way as we celebrate
Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and pop stars. Lockheed
Martin is the presenting
host sponsor of the Festival, a grassroots collaboration of over 1,000 of the leading science and
engineering corporations in the United States.>>>
2014
Energy Conference for Educators is July 20th-24th
The 2014 Energy
Conference for Educators brings together educators from around the country who are
passionate about bringing energy education to their classrooms. During five interactive days in Savannah,
Georgia, the conference provides teachers with the most up-to-date information
on all aspects of energy including the science of energy, sources of energy,
transportation, consumption, electricity, efficiency and environmental and
economic impacts.>>>
Odds
and Ends
Green Schools Alliance Launches Renewable Energy
Purchasing Consortium
To help accelerate the adoption of renewable energy by Pre-K-12
schools, the Green Schools Alliance, a global network of more than 3,000 Pre-K-12
schools, has created and launched the Green Schools Renewable Energy
Purchasing Consortium with support from the EPA's Green Power Partnership.
The consortium is an international group of Pre-K-12 schools joined together to
collectively purchase renewable energy for their facilities.>>>
Urban Waters Partnership Sites Engage Schools
The
Urban Waters Federal Partnership, a 13 agency initiative, aims to stimulate
local economies, create jobs, improve quality of life, and protect health by
revitalizing urban waterways and the communities around them, focusing on
under-served urban communities.
Currently, the partnership has 18 locations across the nation. These
locations have or will build partnerships among local, state and federal
stakeholders – as well as schools. Read
about how students are getting in on the Urban Waters action.>>>
 Pictured Above: A 2013 ED-Green Ribbon
Schools honoree, Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School’s nature center is adjacent to the West River
and these wetlands provide an outdoor classroom for students who go canoeing
with the park rangers and actively investigate the habitat of the West River.
Resources
ARKive Education
Explore 15,000 of the world's endangered
species. With over 100,000 photos and videos, ARKive helps teachers
and students discover what these animals, plants and fungi look like, what
makes them special and why we should protect them. ARKive
Education houses free education resources for 5-18 year olds which can
be used to teach a range of curriculum subjects including science, geography,
English and art.>>>
ED’s Green
Strides Webinar Series continues with
the tools to reduce schools’ environmental impact and costs; improve
health and wellness; and teach effective environmental literacy, including STEM, green careers, and civic engagement. Find sessions
for educators, facilities managers, and advocates weekly.
Mar. 12, 2014, 4:00-4:30 p.m. Gearing Up for Earth Day (Rainforest Alliance)
Mar. 12, 2014, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Engineering in the Field or Schoolyard (NEEF)
Mar. 19, 2014, 3:00-4:00 p.m. Behind the Scenes:
EarthEcho Expeditions
Apr. 9, 2014, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Global Cultures & Communities (Rainforest Alliance)
Apr. 9, 2014, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Grand Green Challenges for Engineering (NEEF)
May 14, 2014, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Rainforest Alliance Curriculum (Rainforest Alliance)
May 14, 2014, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Effective Climate Change Communication (NPS)
Also find resources on the Green Strides Resources Page!
Connect with Green Strides on the Web
Green Strides: Environment, Health and Facilities at ED
ED-Green Ribbon Schools
Facebook
Twitter: @EDGreenRibbon
Sign up for Green Strides updates here.
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