Central Campus Among First-Ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools
78 Schools in 29 States and D.C. Selected; Central only Iowa Green School
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, together with White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, announced today that Des Moines Public Schools’ Central Campus is among 78 schools named U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools during a visit to Stoddert Elementary School, one of D.C.’s two honorees. Iowa is among 29 states and D.C. with schools receiving the first-ever awards. Central Campus is the only Iowa school honored as a Green Ribbon School.
“Science and environmental education play a central role in providing children with a well-rounded education that prepares them for the jobs of the future,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Green Ribbon Schools demonstrate compelling examples of the ways schools can expand their coursework while also helping children build real world skill sets, 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,” said Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “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 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,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. 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.”
“It’s an honor for Central Campus to be among the nation’s first-ever Green Ribbon Schools to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education,” said Gary McClanahan, director of Central Campus. “From the curriculum we teach our students to the manner in which we operate our school, we are proud to be a leader in sustainability and efficiency.”
Last month, Des Moines Public Schools was honored as the Energy Star Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Central Campus is a place where we practice what we teach,” added Julie Rosin, assistant director of Central Campus. “Our students take the lessons they learn in the classroom to make a difference in our school and throughout the community.”
The U.S. Department of Education’s “Green Ribbons” are one-year recognition awards. Next year’s competition will open in summer 2012. State agencies are encouraged to send their intents to submit nominees by June 15, 2012 via email to green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov.
For more information about Central Campus and what earned them designation as a Green Ribbon School, click here.
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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, DC
Sidwell Friends Middle School
Washington, DC
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
