The second-annual U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees were announced on April 22nd by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at the Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. Mundo Verde is one of the 64 schools being recognized for their exemplary efforts to create healthier learning spaces and educate students on the importance of environmental protection. The secretary was joined by the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley and Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Bob Persiacepe.
“Today’s honorees are modeling a comprehensive approach to being green,” Secretary Duncan said of the schools as well as 14 school districts that were also honored for the first-ever District Sustainability Award. The schools are “demonstrating ways [to] simultaneously cut costs; improve health, performance, and equity; and provide an education geared toward the jobs of the future.”
Seven public charter, five magnet, and 10 private schools are among the honorees:
Charters
California: Journey School, Aliso Viejo, and Redding School of the Arts, Redding
Connecticut:Common Ground High School, New Haven
District of Columbia: Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School and Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School
Rhode Island: The Compass School, Kingston
Wisconsin: Jefferson Elementary-Fox River Academy, Appleton
Magnets
Connecticut: Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School, New Haven, and Environmental Sciences Magnet School at Mary Hooker, Hartford
Florida: Driftwood Middle School, Hollywood
Minnesota: Heritage E-STEM Middle School, St. Paul
Nebraska: King Science and Technology Magnet Center, Omaha
Private
California: Prospect Sierra School, El Cerrito
Delaware: St. Andrew’s School, Middletown
Florida: St. Paul Lutheran School, Lakeland
Massachusetts: Berkshire School, Sheffield
New Hampshire: Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter
New York: Rye Country Day School, Rye
Pennsylvania: Westtown School, West Chester
Tennessee: Lipscomb Academy Elementary School, Nashville
Washington: The Evergreen School, Shoreline
Wisconsin: Racine Montessori School, Racine
The list of all selected schools and districts, as well as their nomination packages, can be found here. A report with highlights on the 78 school and district honorees can be found here.
