Environmental Education Pays Green During National Green Week 2009 - Green Education Foundation Anno

The Green Education Foundation (GEF) announced today the official results of its award-winning environmental sustainability program, National Green Week 2009, which mobilized over 400,000 school-aged children in 48 states to participate in green lessons and activities from Feb. 2 through April 22, 2009 (Earth Day).

[USPRwire, Thu May 28 2009] The Green Education Foundation (GEF) announced today the official results of its award-winning environmental sustainability program, National Green Week 2009, which mobilized over 400,000 school-aged children in 48 states to participate in green lessons and activities from Feb. 2 through April 22, 2009 (Earth Day). A record quarter of a million students participated in the program’s nationwide waste reduction challenge through which kids pledged to carry their drinks and snacks in reusable containers for the week. This effort resulted in the elimination of over 100,000 lbs of trash.

Teachers augmented the waste-reduction program with a multitude of environmental projects that included: planting trees to offset river erosion; running e-recycling campaigns; and instituting walk-to-school and lights-off days. Kids embraced their role as green keepers and tested the quality of creek water; sent letters to President Obama; created mini solar and windmill homes; and built pond eco-systems.

“We are thrilled that nearly a half a million students participated in GEF’s inaugural National Green Week program,” declared Victoria Waters, founder and president of GEF. “We are particularly pleased with the turnout for the nationwide waste-free snack program, a simple, yet effective way for children to feel empowered that they can a difference.”

Hundreds of schools sent in their green projects in the hopes of winning the coveted GEF Green In-Action Award. Additional GEF Green In-Action Award categories included the best green school project, environmental video, and eco-literary work. GEF’s Green In-Action Awards, which honor educators who are fostering the next generation of environmental stewards, were sponsored in part by Green Mountain Coffee, the Colorado Wal-Mart State Giving Foundation and National Grid.

The winners in the green project category for the Green Mountain Coffee Green In-Action Awards are Mexicayotl Academy in Nogales, AZ; Velusa Pines Elementary School in Lake Helen, Florida and Rivendell Academy Middle School in Orford, NH; and for the National Grid Green In-Action Award; Beechwood Knoll Elementary School in Quincy, MA. The Colorado Wal-Mart Green In-Action Award went to the Cheyenne Creek Conservation Club from Canon Elementary in Colorado Springs, CO which won best green project video and the GEF winner in the literary category went to the Wendell P. Williams Empowerment School in Las Vegas, NV. Winners received up to $500 for their efforts.

“The number and quality of award submissions is a further testament to the commitment of these schools to promote environmental stewardship,” commented Leslie Castle, National Green Week Program Manager. “We congratulate all the winners!”

GEF would like to applaud the following schools who received second place recognition. The green project category winners are the Laurel Plains Elementary Daisy Troop from NYC, NY; Chittick Elementary School, Mattapan, MA; Charleroi Area Middle School from Charleroi, PA; Cunningham Elementary School, Milton, MA; and Croom Vocational Senior High School, Cheltenham, MD. Second place winners in the green video category are the Reynolds School in Upper Saddle River, NJ and Edison Environmental Science Academy in Kalamazoo, MI. The second place winner in the literary category is the Brookstone Elementary School “Green Team” in Columbus, GA.

Please visit www.nationalgreenweek.com to view all the winner’s projects, photos and videos as well as to learn how other green schools participated in the National Green Week 2009 program.


Schools are encouraged to enroll now for National Green Week 2010 where a million green keepers will pledge to reduce waste and energy, plant school gardens and participate in green lessons. For more information about how your school can enroll in National Green Week 2010, please visit www.nationalgreenweek.com.

About Green Education Foundation

The Green Education Foundation’s (GEF) mission is to provide educational resources that promote sustainable impactful pro-green behaviors in children, families, and communities. GEF believes that children learn best through hands-on programs which enhance a child’s critical thinking and understanding of how and why they should adopt new green habits. With this in mind, GEF provides real-life environmental experiments and activities that dovetail with multi-disciplinary educational curriculum.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) recently granted the Green Education Foundation the Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education for its outstanding efforts in furthering environmental learning.