Palm Beach County Schools Recognized for Making the Grade in “Going Green”
Sixty public and private schools in Palm Beach County that have made the grade in going “green” during this school year, celebrated their efforts at the fourth annual Green Schools Awards Luncheon held in their honor at the Kravis Center’s Cohen Pavilion on April 30th. Fifteen of these outstanding schools received some “green” for going green in the form of cash awards.
The top Green Schools received cash awards totaling more than $8,000 for demonstrating exceptional leadership as models for implementing green school programs and practices. All cash awards are intended to help these schools continue to grow their “green” projects. The cash awardees were announced at the luncheon for receiving top scores on the Green Schools Rubric:
1st place – Saint Joseph’s Episcopal School – $2,000
2nd place – Marsh Pointe Elementary – $1,000
3rd place – Roosevelt Community Middle – $500
3rd place - Berkshire Elementary – $500
3rd place – South Grade Elementary – $500
In addition, “Judges Choice Awards” were given to schools that demonstrate excellence in specific areas. The following schools were selected:
- The Chastain Charitable Foundation awarded $500 to Saint Ann Catholic School for overall excellence in greening their school’s practices and curriculum.
- Florida Department of Transportation’s SchoolPool Program awarded $750 to Palm Springs Middle for Sustainability in Transportation practices.
- Pine Jog Environmental Education Center awarded $500 to Meadow Park Elementary to a Green School which showed great promise.
- Florida Power and Light awarded $500 to Timber Trace Elementary for making strides in Energy Conservation.
- GetPaid2Recycle.com awarded $500 to Wellington High for their Community Involvement.
- Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County awarded $500 to Jerry Thomas Elementary for excellence in their Recycling and Waste Reduction Programs.
- Slow Foods Glades to Coast awarded $250 to Timber Trace for their Gardening initiatives with honorable mentions to Palm Beach Central and Santaluces High Schools.
- Audubon Society of the Everglades awarded $500 to Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary for Overall Excellence.
The program recognizes schools for taking a holistic and innovative approach to going green that incorporates school ground enhancement, resource conservation, curriculum connections and community involvement with a school wide commitment and focus on sustainability. The Green Schools Recognition Program is coordinated by the FAU Pine Jog Environmental Education Center in collaboration with the School District of Palm Beach County and with the support of a host of community partners including the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County; Florida Power & Light; Florida Department of Transportation’s SchoolPool, Audubon Society of the Everglades, the Chastain Charitable Foundation, Get Paid 2 Recycle, and Slow Foods – Glades to Coast. The program was launched in 2008 with support from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties.
“Schools are the natural place to teach the next generation how to care for our environment, and schools should lead the way in showing our community how to be more sustainable” says Patti Hammond, Assistant Recycling Team Manager for the Solid Waste Authority.
According to Susan Toth, Director of Education at Pine Jog, recognition will be given to “Green Schools of Promise,” “Green Schools of Quality” and “Green Schools of Excellence.” “These levels illustrate that ‘going green’ is a journey, and that schools should be acknowledged for their efforts along the way,” Toth adds.
The Green School honorees in their respective categories are:
2012 Green Schools of Excellence:
Bak Middle School of the Arts
Berkshire Elementary
Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary
Jupiter Community High
Jupiter Farms Elementary
Jupiter Middle School of Technology
Marsh Pointe Elementary
Morikami Park Elementary
Palm Beach Day Academy
Pine Jog Elementary
Roosevelt Community Middle
Saint Ann Catholic School
Saint Joseph’s Episcopal School
Saint Mark Catholic School
S.D. Spady Elementary
South Grade Elementary
2012 Green Schools of Quality:
Beacon Cove Intermediate
Benoist Farms Elementary
Cardinal Newman High
Diamond View Elementary
Elbridge Gale Elementary
Everglades Elementary
Grassy Waters Elementary
Greenacres Elementary
Hammock Pointe Elementary
H. L. Johnson Elementary
Hobe Sound Elementary
Hope-Centennial Elementary
Jerry Thomas Elementary
Limestone Creek Elementary
Northboro Elementary
Palm Beach Central High
Palm Beach Gardens Elementary
Palm Springs Middle
Pioneer Park Elementary
Plumosa School of the Arts
Royal Palm School
Santaluces High
Timber Trace Elementary
Unity School
Wellington High
2012 Green Schools of Promise
Academy for Positive Learning
Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Boca Raton Elementary
Cholee Lake Elementary
Eagles Landing Middle
Forest Hill Community High
Forest Hill Elementary
Freedom Shores Elementary
Hagen Road Elementary
Hillel Day School
Jupiter Academy
Jupiter Elementary
Lighthouse Elementary
Loggers’ Run Middle
Meadow Park Elementary
Polo Park Middle
Rosarian Academy
West Gate Elementary
Whispering Pines Elementary
In addition to the cash winners, all participating schools were recognized for their commitment to “greening” their school’s practices and curriculum. Each school received a 2012 Green Schools banner, Green Schools logos, certificates in bamboo frames, and window decals. Additionally, all schools are profiled on the Program’s website at www.ourgreenschools.com.
To learn more about the 2012 Green School awardees contact Susan Toth at Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, (561) 686-6600 ext. 404 or stoth2@fau.edu.
About Pine Jog Environmental Education Center
Pine Jog Environmental Education Center is a unit of the College of Education at Florida Atlantic University. Since 1960, Pine Jog has been fulfilling its mission of developing, modeling and providing educational programs and services which foster awareness and appreciation of the natural world, promote understanding of environmental concepts and instill a sense of stewardship. For more information, contact Pine Jog at (561) 686-6600 or visit www.pinejog.fau.edu.
