 Going for a 2019 Green Ribbon?
The 2018 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) were announced on May 16 and will be honored at a Sept. 19 ceremony in Washington, DC. See the list of selectees, a press release, and a report about these schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions that are achieving sustainability gains in facilities and grounds, health and wellness, and environmental literacy. Read this blog post highlighting the actions of a few of the 2018 honorees.
If your institution has not already been recognized as a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School, now is a great time to begin preparing for the 2019 application cycle by using the resources and programs available on Green Strides. Read some common misconceptions about the award dispelled in a blog post by the director and review frequently asked questions on all three award categories Schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions are eligible only if nominated by state authorities. Interested colleges and universities should contact their state higher education authorities, while schools and districts should contact their state education agencies. State education authorities can find award criteria and other state implementation guidance on ED's website and should email U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools for information. >>>>
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Congratulations to the 2018 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. View the honorees and read about their work on the Green Strides website and ED awards page. Three of the honorees are spotlighted below.
 The Drew Elementary Academy serves approximately 1,000 students in a building that was constructed in 1999. The Junior and Senior Academy serves about 750 students in a building that was constructed in 2014 and acquired LEED Gold certification.
Charles R. Drew Charter School, Atlanta,
Georgia
Charles R. Drew Charter School (Drew) opened in 2000 as
Atlanta’s first public charter school and is an integral part of a holistic
neighborhood revitalization. The Junior
and Senior Academy building is home to an environmental dashboard that gives
real-time data on the amount of water and electricity used, along with the
amount of solar power captured by the panels on the building’s roof (roughly 15
percent of the school’s energy needs). Drew’s long school day and
extensive after-school program offerings mean parents are only making one
commute in the morning and one commute in the evening. Drew’s charter
gives preference to families living in the surrounding community, making it
more feasible for them to walk or bike to school. Physical education offerings include tennis,
golf, PE, health, dance, and swimming. An affordable and well-attended after-school program offers martial arts, yoga, dance, capoeira, flag football, soccer, sports
conditioning, and golf. Past health and
wellness events have included fresh produce tastings, cooking demos,
on-site farmers markets, meditation days, and staff wellness events. Drew
offers a full-time school nurse and at least two guidance
counselors on each campus, and a full-time social worker for the Pre-K–12 student
body. By teaching all subjects and standards through a
real-world project, Drew incorporates community involvement, the school facility and
grounds, lessons on the use of finite resources, and local experts into its instruction. Every
student at the Elementary Academy (K–5) will take an environmental education enrichment
course, and, at the Junior and Senior Academy, students have the opportunity to
take an environmental science class. Both campuses house learning
gardens that are used for instruction, tastings, and curricular support. >>>>
 Gustavus Adolphus College installs solar panels on a shed in the Big Hill Farm student garden, also home to a greenhouse.
Gustavus Adolphus
College, Saint Peter, Minnesota
Gustavus Adolphus College's (GAC) signature, yearly Nobel Conference on science has focused on the environment, energy, water, food, and oceans,
and will add themes of soil and climate change to the list in the immediate
future. In the 1970s, the college dedicated a portion of its land to form the
Linnaeus Arboretum, which has become a venue for environmental reflection and
learning for students, staff, and the public. With a full-time naturalist
on staff, the “Arb,” hosts programs for elementary school students and their families, college students, and senior citizens. The two most
recent major construction projects on campus have resulted in LEED Platinum and Gold certification. The college maintains two solar electric arrays, three
large solar thermal arrays, and a small wind turbine. In 2013, the college began an onsite
composting effort for all pre- and post-consumer food waste from dining services and is exploring ways to extend this to food waste generated
in residence halls and other buildings. The
“Gus Bus” shuttle brings students to and from downtown Saint Peter
businesses and Gusties on the
Go offers free loaner bikes on campus. The dining service is à la carte and offers reusable
take-out containers to reduce waste and encourage better food choices.
Student organizations like the Gustavus Greens and the Climate
Justice Coalition and staff collaborate to create lasting institutional efforts
such as GAC’s Fair Trade Campus designation and Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) certification. The environmental studies program draws on faculty from nine different academic departments, ranging from anthropology to physics. Students
have the opportunity to participate in January term classes like Introduction to Renewable Energy, and elective courses like Local Food
Production. Several study abroad programs focus on sustainability topics. A religion and ecology course engages
students in learning about the environmental perspectives and activities of
diverse faith communities. >>>>
 Manchester Valley High School students clean up an outdoor space on school grounds during National Honor Society Student Service Day.
Manchester Valley High School, Manchester, Maryland
Beyond its solar skylit hallways, geothermal heating and cooling systems, and
student-generated “turn off the lights” mini-posters,
Manchester Valley High School (MVHS) has come together to create a model for
reduction in environmental impact and cost within Carroll County Public Schools. Through administrative, staff, and
student-driven efforts to reduce paper waste by promoting digital curricula,
recycling, and composting programs, Manchester Valley has reduced landfill waste by more than 50 percent. Science
and agriculture programs incorporate hydroponics, aquaponics, and rain barrels
to conserve water. Meticulous state department of health inspectors, a school safety sommittee, interdepartmental safety inspections, and
even student data-keeping play active roles in assessing school indoor air
quality. From fundraising walks like Relay for Life, to supporting
Special Olympics athletes, to community races, to the Polar Bear Plunge, the
school community makes its miles count. All educators are encouraged to bring
their classes outside. School grounds include two outdoor classrooms, a
10,400 square foot pollinating garden, a wetland designated as an endangered
bog turtle habitat, a system of wooded hiking and streamside trails, and a “no-mow
zone” wildflower area. Environmental literacy is a systemic collaboration
that extends beyond isolated curricular islands: World history classes require
research on non-native species and habitats; 10th-grade English classes
incorporate agriculture in argumentative writing; physical education classes
have included trash and recycle clean-up activities; and technology classes
design and test wind-generated electric technologies. >>>>
 Every Kid in A Park Continues for Fourth Year
Every
Kid in a Park encourages stewardship of public lands by introducing children
and underserved communities to park sites, forests, and seashores, as well as
recreational opportunities within these spaces. The program provides free
passes to fourth-graders and their accompanying families to access hundreds of
parks, lands, and waters for a year. To obtain a pass, a fourth-grader should
get an adult’s permission, and then visit www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an educational activity, and download and
print the paper pass voucher. Some state parks are also honoring the pass. >>>>
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 Apply for a GreenWorks! Environmental Education Grant by
Sept. 30
Project Learning Tree
offers grants of up to $1,000 to schools and youth organizations for environmental
service-learning projects that link classroom learning to the real world.
Students implement an action project that they help design to green their school or
to improve an aspect of their neighborhood’s environment. The
projects partner students with their whole school, local businesses, and/or
community organizations, and provide opportunities for student
leadership. >>>>
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 The
Green Strides Webinar Series Continues This Summer
The Green Strides Webinar Series has promoted over 1000 sessions that
provide free tools to reduce schools' environmental impact and costs; improve
health and wellness; and teach effective environmental education. Consult
the webinar calendar, and submit suggestions for additional free, publically available webinars related to school, district, and postsecondary sustainability to ed.green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov for listing. (Note: All times listed
are ET.)
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July
24, 2–3 p.m. Leveraging
Nutrition Programs in Disasters (USDA)
July
24, 2–3 p.m. Safe Access to Parks (Safe Routes to
School National Partnership)
July
24, 3–4 p.m. New Ideas for
Sustainability, Social Theories, and More (NAAEE)
July
24, 6:30–7:30 p.m. ISS: Mass vs Weight (NASA)
July
25, 12–12:30 p.m. Portfolio
Manager – Ask the Expert (EPA)
July
25, 3–4 p.m. Natural
Herbicides: For a Greener Campus
Environment
(AASHE)
July
25, 5–6 p.m. A Day in the
Life on Board the ISS
(NASA)
July
25, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Math in Search
for Life Beyond Earth
(NASA)
July
30, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Environmental
Control and Life Support Systems – Life Science (NASA)
July
31, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Dark Matter and
Energy – Physical Science (NASA)
Aug. 1, 3–4 p.m. Accelerating
Change through the President’s Sustainability Research Program (AASHE)
Aug. 2, 1–2:30 p.m. Portfolio
Manager 101
(EPA)
Aug. 2, 2–3 p.m. Indigenous Foods
in Early Care and Education Settings (USDA)
Aug. 6, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Detecting
Exoplanets
(NASA)
Aug. 7, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Characteristics
of Planets – Earth and Space Science (NASA)
Aug. 8, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Technology
Drives Exploration: Drag Devices (NASA)
Aug. 9, 1–2 p.m. Portfolio
Manager 201
(EPA)
Aug. 14, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Technology
Drives Exploration: Thermal Protection (NASA)
Aug. 15, 6:30–7:30 p.m. X-rays on Earth
and from Space
(NASA)
Aug. 16, 2–3 p.m. Top 10 Most
Under-used ENERGY STAR Resources (EPA)
Aug. 21, 1–2 p.m. ENERGY STAR and
Green Building Rating Systems (EPA)
Aug. 21, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Solar Sail (NASA)
Aug. 22, 3–4 p.m. Herding
Cats? Tried and Tested Behaviour Change
Methods
(AASHE)
Aug. 23, 6–7 p.m. The Spread and
Ecology of an Invasive Seaweed (NOAA)
Plan a Green Apple Day of Service at Your School This Fall
A Green Apple Day of Service gives parents, teachers, students, companies, and local organizations the opportunity to transform all schools into healthy, safe, and productive learning environments through local service projects. Check out project ideas, pick up helpful event resources, and register your project online. >>>>.
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The 2018 AASHE Conference and Expo is Oct. 2–5 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s
(AASHE’s) annual conference is the largest stage in North America to exchange
effective models, policies, research, collaborations, and transformative
actions that advance sustainability in higher education and surrounding
communities. With the theme Global Goals: Rising to the Challenge, the
2018 AASHE Conference & Expo will examine the critical role of higher
education in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. >>>>
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 The 2018 NAAEE Conference and Research Symposium is Oct. 9–13 in Spokane, Washington
For
more than four decades, the North American Association for Environmental
Education has convened one of the leading annual conferences for environmental
education professionals, from classroom teachers and teacher educators, to
nature center staff, to climate science researchers, and everyone in between.
Averaging 1,000 participants each year, the event is designed to promote
innovation, networking, learning, and the dissemination of best
practices. This year’s conference, with the theme A Force for the
Future, is in Spokane, Washington. >>>>
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 Green Clean Schools ISSA/INTERCLEAN Educational Facilities Track is Oct. 29–30 in Dallas, Texas
This two-day program will provide facility directors at schools and universities and their teams with the knowledge and tools necessary to support healthier, safer cleaning programs that promote learning. Together with leaders in the field of green cleaning in schools, participants will examine Healthy Schools Campaign’s 5 Steps to Green Cleaning in Schools, a guide to healthier cleaning in educational facilities, through a combination of case studies, deep dives into practical applications, and panel presentations focused on new and emerging trends in the field of green cleaning in schools. >>>>
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 LearningSCAPES 2018 is Nov. 1–4 in Chicago, Illinois
Association
for Learning Environment’s mission is to connect those whose passion is to
create the best possible physical learning spaces that encourage innovation,
critical thinking, collaborative teamwork, and other skills that will empower
students to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Its LearningSCAPES 2018
conference includes educational sessions, keynotes, and a showcase of
state-of-the-art tools that move learning into the future through thoughtful
school facilities. >>>>
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EDspaces is the gathering place for architects, facility planners, designers, administrators, and dealers to learn about trends and experience the latest products and services to enhance student learning through
advanced school facilities. Leaders
from school districts and colleges, architects, interior designers, dealers, and
exhibitors collaborate in the transformation of physical educational
environments. >>>>
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14–16 in Chicago, Illinois
Greenbuild is the world's largest
conference and expo dedicated to green building. It features three days of
inspiring speakers, invaluable networking opportunities, industry showcases,
LEED workshops, and tours
of the host city's green buildings. >>>>
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Connect
With Green Strides
Green Strides:
Resources for School Facilities, Health, and Environment
U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools
Facebook: @EDGreenRibbonSchools
Twitter: @EDGreenRibbon
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