U.S. Department of Ed Names First-Ever Green Ribbon Schools

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson recently announced the first-ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, a list including 78 schools that span 29 states and D.C.

The announcement was made during a visit to Stoddert Elementary School, one of D.C.'s two honorees.

"Science, environmental and outdoor education play a central role in providing children with a well-rounded education, helping prepare them for the jobs of the future,” says Duncan. “U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools demonstrate compelling examples of the ways schools can help children build real-world skillsets, cut school costs and provide healthy learning environments.”

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a federal recognition program that opened in September 2011. Honored schools exercise a comprehensive approach to creating "green" environments through reducing environmental impact, promoting health, and ensuring a high-quality environmental and outdoor education to prepare students with the 21st century skills and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy.

"Schools that take a green approach cut costs on their utility bills, foster healthy and productive classrooms, and prepare students to thrive in the 21st century economy," says Sutley. "These Green Ribbon School award winners are taking outstanding steps to educate tomorrow's environmental leaders, and demonstrating how sustainability and environmental awareness make sense for the health of our students and our country."

The 78 awarded schools were named winners from among nearly 100 nominees submitted by 30 state education agencies, the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Education. More than 350 schools completed applications to their state education agencies. Among the list of winners are 66 public schools, including 8 charters, and 12 private schools. In total, the schools are composed of 43 elementary, 31 middle and 26 high schools with around 50 percent representing high poverty schools.

"These Green Ribbon Schools are giving students and educators what they need to maximize learning and minimize risks like asthma and other respiratory illnesses, ensuring that no child is burdened by pollution in or around their school,” says Jackson. “Today's winners are protecting our children's health and opening up environmental education opportunities for students. The EPA is proud to help recognize the Green Ribbon award winners and will continue working to improve the environment of our nation's schools and helping prepare students to succeed in the emerging green economy.”

The U.S. Department of Education's "Green Ribbons" are one-year recognition awards. Next year's competition will open in summer 2012.

A complete list of the 2012 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools follows:

Alabama

Munford Elementary School
Munford, Alabama

Winterboro High School
Talladega, Alabama

Arizona

The STAR School
Flagstaff, Arizona

Roadrunner Elementary School
Phoenix, Arizona

Arkansas

Acorn High School
Mena, Arkansas

California

Longfellow Elementary School
Long Beach, California

Environmental Charter High School
Lawndale, California

Grand View Elementary School
Manhattan Beach, California

The Athenian School
Danville, California

Colorado

Flagstone Elementary School
Castle Rock, Colorado

Denver Green School
Denver, Colorado

Wellington Middle School
Wellington, Colorado

District of Columbia

Stoddert Elementary School
Washington, D.C.

Sidwell Friends Middle School
Washington, D.C.

Florida

Learning Gate Community School
Lutz, Florida

Pine Jog Elementary School
West Palm Beach, Florida

TERRA Environmental Research Institute
Miami, Florida

Georgia

Springdale Park Elementary School
Atlanta, Georgia

Arabia Mountain High School
Lithonia, Georgia

Savannah Country Day School
Savannah, Georgia

Hawaii

Ewa Makai Middle School
Ewa Beach, Hawaii

Hawaii Preparatory Academy
Kamuela, Hawaii

Illinois

Academy for Global Citizenship
Chicago, Illinois

Thomas J. Waters Elementary School
Chicago, Illinois

Prairie Crossing Charter School
Grayslake, Illinois

Iowa

Des Moines Central Campus High School
Des Moines, Iowa

Kansas

Eisenhower High School
Goddard, Kansas

Erie High School
Erie, Kansas

Brookwood Elementary
Leawood, Kansas

Kentucky

Rosa Parks Elementary School
Lexington, Kentucky

Georgetown Middle School
Georgetown, Kentucky

Richardsville Elementary School
Bowling Green, Kentucky

Maryland

Dunloggin Middle School
Ellicott City, Maryland

Francis Scott Key Middle School
Silver Spring, Maryland

Folger McKinsey Elementary School
Severna Park, Maryland

Lucy School
Middletown, Maryland

Michigan

Clarkston High School
Clarkston, Michigan

Detroit Edison Public School Academy
Detroit, Michigan

Minnesota

North Shore Community School
Duluth, Minnesota

Garlough Environmental Magnet School
West St. Paul, Minnesota

Kennedy Community School
Saint Joseph, Minnesota

Missouri

Crossroads College Preparatory School
St. Louis, Missouri

The College School
St. Louis, Missouri

Nebraska

Lothrop Science & Technology Magnet Center
Omaha, Nebraska

Miller Park Elementary
Omaha, Nebraska

New Jersey

Bernards High School
Bernardsville, New Jersey

Midtown Community Elementary School
Neptune, New Jersey

Adler Avenue Middle School
Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey

The Willow School
Gladstone, New Jersey

New York

Hampton Bays Middle School
Hampton Bays, New York

Sleepy Hollow Middle School
Sleepy Hollow, New York

Bethlehem Central Middle School
Delmar, New York

North Carolina

Evergreen Community Charter School
Asheville, North Carolina

American Hebrew Academy
Greensboro, North Carolina

North Dakota (Bureau of Indian Education)

Circle of Nations
Wahpeton, North Dakota

Ohio

Loveland High School
Loveland, Ohio

North Adams Elementary School
Seaman, Ohio

Oregon

Sunnyside Environmental School
Portland, Oregon

Willamina Elementary School
Willamina, Oregon

Gladstone High School
Gladstone, Oregon

Catlin Gable School
Portland, Oregon

Pennsylvania

Radnor Middle School
Wayne, Pennsylvania

Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

A.W. Beattie Career Center
Allison Park, Pennsylvania

Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Classical High School
Providence, Rhode Island

Nathan Bishop Middle School
Providence, Rhode Island

Virginia

Fishburn Park Elementary School
Roanoke, Virginia

The Gereau Center for Applied Technology & Career Exploration
Rocky Mount, Virginia

Washington

Tahoma Junior High School
Ravensdale, Washington

Camelot Elementary School
Auburn, Washington

Secondary Academy for Success
Bothell, Washington

The Overlake School
Redmond, Washington

West Virginia

Hilltop Elementary School
Wheeling, West Virginia

Wyoming County Career & Technical Center
Pineville, West Virginia

Wisconsin

Dimensions of Learning Academy
Kenosha, Wisconsin

Middleton High School
Middleton, Wisconsin

Purdy Elementary School
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin