Highlights from the 2014 Honorees

Kentucky

Wellington Elementary, Lexington, Ky.

Wellington Elementary was built in 2010 and designed to be one of the most energy efficient and sustainable schools in suburban Lexington, Ky. At Wellington, costs are cut by implementing policies that reduce the school’s impacts on the environment, and improve the health and wellness of students and staff. The school features photovoltaic solar panels, a rainwater capture and reuse system, a thermal hot water system, permeable pavers, a rain garden, automatic lighting controls, native landscaping, and an outdoor classroom. In 2011, Wellington was named a Kentucky Green and Healthy School, and in 2012 received ENERGY STAR certification.

The asthma management program in the school is operated consistent with the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program's Asthma Friendly Schools guidelines, and a comprehensive indoor air-quality management program operates consistent with Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools. Wellington has adopted an Integrated Pest Management program to reduce pesticide use. The school prohibits smoking on campus and school buses. Cleaning products (75 percent) are certified through Green Seal, and chlorine-free paper is used. Wellington also participates in a Farm to School program to use local, fresh food, and participates in the district’s Connect the Dots program to help students make balanced choices for their school lunch meals. Each lunch item is color-coded to correspond with the five components from the USDA MyPlate nutritional guidelines

The school offers effective sustainability and health education by educating students, families, and staff about connections between human and environmental systems, and how personal choices can improve human and ecosystem health at school and in the community. Environmental and sustainability concepts are integrated throughout the curriculum, and in classroom-based and schoolwide assessments. In spring 2013, 82.8 percent of students scored “proficient” or “distinguished” on state science assessments.

The entire 76,000 square-foot facility is used as a learning laboratory and teaching tool, and students lead tours that focus on Wellington’s unique sustainability components. Monthly sustainability lessons, which teach the students about the unique features of the school and the importance of sustainability for the environment, are the responsibility of each classroom. Professional development opportunities are provided for teachers to help them incorporate environmental and sustainability education in the classroom.

Wellington students and faculty take great pride in learning and working in an environmentally sustainable school.

Maryland

North Carroll High School, Carroll, Md.

Serving a student population of approximately 780 students, North Carroll High School (NCHS) offers multiple opportunities for students, staff, and community members of Hampstead, Md. to contribute to the green school culture. Sustainability concepts are built into the NCHS weekly routine. For example, Turn off Tuesdays encourage students to turn off lights and electronics, Green Fact Fridays mean the distribution of recycling and conservation information around the school, and Walk for Wellness encourages students to go for a walk after lunch. The school displays health information throughout the school, such as an iPhone showcase that illustrates apps designed to help improve wellness.

A 2013 recipient of the Maryland Green School Award from the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, NCHS’ reduced environmental impact is the result of contributions made by students, staff, and community members. For instance, students on the NCHS Green Team lead efforts to reduce the school’s impact on the environment, along with school utility costs, both inside and outside the school. They encourage water and energy conservation by posting signs and reminders (in multiple languages) throughout the school to turn off faucets, and unused lights and electronics. The team also leads efforts in recycling, composting, and conservation, through which NCHS recycles approximately 50 percent of materials that otherwise would enter the waste system.

Outside of the school, there is a bluebird trail, running waterfall, no-mow zone, songbird habitat, and American chestnut orchard. These areas are used to educate students – including those from a neighboring elementary school – about the need for native habitat restoration, the importance of biodiversity, and the interconnection among native plants and animal life cycles. The chestnut orchard was planted and is maintained through a collaborative research effort to restore the American chestnut. Partners include Carroll County Public Schools, the American Chestnut Foundation, and Thorpewood, a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental education.

Outdoor exercise opportunities are included in physical education courses, nature-based experiences continue to increase, and ecology, biology, and agriscience courses make use of NCHS’ outdoor classroom near a wooded area. Lessons on topics such as water conservation, hydrofracking, nature, and agriculture are woven neatly into subjects as diverse as English, art, and technology to create authentic and engaging lessons. Furthermore, students in animal and plant biotechnology classes investigate hot-button topics like the genetic engineering done to plants to make them disease- and pest-resistant, reduce the need for chemical pesticides, and make them more productive. Students also investigate water quality, alternate fuels, and oil-eating bacteria through oil-spill simulations.

From the classrooms, to the hallways, to the cafeteria, and the school grounds, NCHS fosters a community of caring, responsible, and environmentally conscious students, preparing them for graduation and the green jobs of tomorrow.

Travilah Elementary School, Potomac, Md.

Located in North Potomac, Md., Travilah Elementary School truly lives by the motto “practice what you preach.” Administrators, teachers, parents, and students all are leaders in the effort to reduce Travilah’s impact on the environment, practice healthy and active living, and integrate environmental education into the life of the school. Students take a leadership role in Travilah’s green practices, health, and growth. The Travliah student government association annually sponsors a Green Day, which encourages peers to write songs, raps, green facts, and riddles to build excitement for conservation. On Green Day, classes engage in stewardship practices, such as cleaning up the school courtyard and playground, taking special nature walks, and brainstorming ways students can help nature stay clean and healthy.

Everyday practices have contributed to a reduction in Travilah’s energy consumption, which previously was recognized by a county award, seven awards from the school district, and one from the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education. Teachers and students routinely turn off lights, shut down unused electronics and computers, and close classroom doors, windows, and blinds at the end of the day to save on heating and cooling. Travilah also is committed to recycling and the reduction of waste. The school has adopted environmentally responsible practices, such as copying on both sides of paper and promoting Trash-Free Fridays, where students are encouraged to pack no-trash lunches. Additionally, Travilah has partnered with Whole Foods Market to recycle 225 daily lunch trays, and holds an annual “Drive for Supplies” to repurpose and reuse school supplies.

The school community stays active through the Travilah Trekkers, a group of both students and adults that wear special T-shirts and run laps around the bus circle each morning to stay healthy. The school’s Dolphin Dash and Fun Run also encourage exercise with 1-mile runs around the school field. The school community is invited to participate in Travilah Moves Day, an event where the community learns about family wellness activities like yoga, tennis, and karate. In addition to being a USDA Bronze Level HealthierUS School Challenge, the school provides a cafeteria menu that includes grains that are 75 percent whole grains, fat-free and one percent fat milk, and no-trans-fat and low-sodium meals. Students are required to select a fruit or vegetable with each meal.

Environmental education is an essential part of the Travilah curriculum. In addition to shifting science instruction to an inquiry-based model, the school incorporates STEM concepts. Using the mantra “No Child Left Inside,” Travilah teachers are encouraged to incorporate the school’s outdoor classrooms, courtyard, and organic gardens into their lesson plans, including decomposition lessons using the school’s composter. Guest speakers are regularly invited to Travilah to help students make connections to possible careers and practitioners in the field. For example, each year second-graders hear from a nearby farmer, who invites them to his farm to learn about agriculture, healthy eating, canning, growing vegetables, and successful farming practices. Other environmental lessons include third-graders creating a community action project directed at litter and pollution reduction, fourth-graders investigating organic farming practices at the Maryland Historic Agriculture Park, and fifth-graders participating in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s “Day at the Bay,” where they collect water samples, study aquatic diversity, dredge for oysters, and analyze data.