As the school year winds down and the end of the 2014-15 Green Schools Challenge (GSC) program cycle draws near, we highlight some of the great accomplishments of the GSC Green Teams.

In response to the Alternative Transportation monthly challenge in January, the Green Team at Pinecrest Elementary encouraged school families to create carpooling groups and developed a “Walk Safe to School” campaign to help reduce the amount of air pollutants emitted by automobiles.

The Green Team at John I. Smith K-8 kicked off a school-wide awareness raising campaign about ‘green buildings,’ as part of the Green Building monthly challenge in February.  Information and video clips were shared with students and teachers via email and through morning announcements. In addition, a Public Service Announcement (PSA) promoting ‘green buildings’ was created and broadcasted, and students brainstormed green building ideas in the Family and Consumer Sciences Class.

March was all about Green Careers. The Gifted Resource class at Coconut Palm K-8 conducted research on key words such as ‘green retrofitting’ and ‘green buildings’ to conceptualize ideas for the creation of a ‘green’ bathroom for the school. The ideas brainstormed, such as green sinks, eco-toilets and energy-efficient lights, were then implemented by creating a model bathroom from recycled cardboard.

April will be a busy month as Green Teams organize Eco-Summits to educate the school population and wider community about the importance of sustainable practices in their daily lives.

Thanks to the Wells Fargo and Edward S. Moore Foundation, Dream in Green continues to award $300 mini-grants to GSC and WE-LAB Green Teams in support of their ideas to save water and energy and spread the environmental sustainability message learned from GSC. We congratulate all the Green Teams as they take the environmental sustainability message home, to their communities and increase awareness of environmental issues for a healthier planet.

What’s Next:

April: Earth Month and Eco-Summits

May 8: Living the Dream, Ninth Annual Fundraiser and Green Innovator Awards

June 4: GSC & WE-LAB 2014-15 Award Ceremony

 

*photo: Student from Sunset Park Elementary