Columbus School Honored For Being Green
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe U.S. Department of Education has named Columbus North High School a Green Ribbon School. The award honors schools for reducing environmental impact and costs, improving health and offering environmental education.
May 8, 2015
News Release
WASHINGTON D.C. – (April 22, 2015) U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was joined by Managing Director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Christy Goldfuss today to announce the 2015 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees. Fifty-eight schools, 14 districts, and nine postsecondary institutions were honored for their promising efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including civics and green career pathways. In addition, nine colleges and universities were honored with the Postsecondary Sustainability Award, in the first year of that award category.
“These honorees are compelling examples of the ways schools can help children build real-world skillsets, cut school costs, and provide healthy learning environments,” Duncan said. “U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools are an inspiration and deserve the spotlight for embodying strong examples of innovative learning and civic engagement. We also are thrilled to add institutions of higher education to the list of honorees this year for the first time in the award's history.”
“With so many tough challenges facing our planet, it is more important than ever to inspire and prepare the next generation of environmental stewards,” said Goldfuss. “By creating healthier learning environments, reducing their carbon footprints, and teaching students lasting lessons about innovation and sustainability, today's honorees are leading the way for schools and districts across the country.”
The schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions were confirmed from a pool of candidates voluntarily nominated by 30 state education agencies, with honorees selected from 28 jurisdictions. The list of 81 total selectees includes 52 public schools and six private schools. The public schools include two charter and three magnet schools. The schools serve various grade levels, including 35 elementary, 19 middle and 17 high schools are among them, with several schools having various K-12 configurations, from 28 of the nominating authorities. Forty-seven percent of the 2015 honorees serve a disadvantaged student body, 22 percent are rural, and one-third of the postsecondary institutions are community colleges. The list of all selected schools, districts, colleges, and universities, as well as their nomination packages, can be found here. A report with highlights on the 81 honorees can be found here.
More information on the federal recognition award can be found here. Resources for all schools to move toward the three Pillars can be found here.
Alabama
•Bluff Park Elementary School
Hoover, AL
•Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln, AL
•Lincoln High School
Lincoln, AL
•Auburn University
Auburn, AL
California
•Los Cerritos Elementary School
Long Beach, CA
•Carmel Middle School
Carmel, CA
•Susan Miller Dorsey Senior High
Los Angeles, CA
•Marin Country Day School
Corte Madera, CA
•El Monte Union High School District
El Monte, CA
Colorado
•Red Hawk Elementary School
Erie, CO
•Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO
Connecticut
•Parkway School
Greenwich, CT
•Academy of Engineering and Green Technology
Hartford, CT
•Rogers International School
Stamford, CT
•Greens Farms Academy
Greens Farms, CT
•Stamford School District
Stamford, CT
Delaware
•Linden Hill Elementary School
Wilmington, DE
•Mt. Pleasant Elementary School
Wilmington, DE
•Kirk Middle School
Newark, DE
Department of Defense Education Activity
•Charles P. Murray Elementary School
Fort Stewart, GA
•Wiesbaden Middle School
Wiesbaden, Hainerberg, Germany
District of Columbia
•The George Washington University
Washington, DC
Florida
•Manatee Elementary School
Viera, FL
•Pine View School for the Gifted
Osprey, FL
•Odyssey Charter School
Palm Bay, FL
Georgia
•Dr. M.H. Mason Jr. Elementary School
Duluth, GA
•Big Shanty Intermediate School
Kennesaw, GA
•Cherokee County School District
Canton, GA
•Cobb County School District
Marietta, GA
Illinois
•River Trails Middle School
Mt. Prospect, IL
Indiana
•Columbus North High School
Columbus, IN
Iowa
•Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA
Kentucky
•Bryan Station Middle School
Lexington, KY
•Royal Spring Middle School
Georgetown, KY
•Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY
Maryland
•J. C. Parks Elementary School
Indian Head, MD
•Northwest High School
Germantown, MD
•Howard County Public School System
Ellicott City, MD
Massachusetts
•Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School
Upton, MA
•Hingham High School
Hingham, MA
•Cambridge Public Schools
Cambridge, MA
Minnesota
•Redtail Ridge Elementary School
Savage, MN
•Harambee Community Cultures/Environmental Science School
Maplewood, MN
•Rockford Middle School-Center for Environmental Studies
Rockford, MN
•City of Lakes Waldorf School
Minneapolis, MN
•West St Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan School District 197
Mendota Heights, MN
•University of Minnesota, Morris
Morris, MN
Mississippi
•Oxford School District
Oxford, MS
Montana
•Rattlesnake Elementary School
Missoula, MT
•Seeley Lake Elementary School
Seeley Lake, MT
•Seeley-Swan High School
Seeley Lake, MT
Nebraska
•Edward Babe Gomez Heritage Elementary School
Omaha, NE
•Wilson Focus School
Omaha, NE
•Lincoln Public Schools
Lincoln, NE
New Jersey
•William Davies Middle School
Mays Landing, NJ
•East Brunswick Vocational and Technical High School
East Brunswick, NJ
•Timber Creek Regional High School
Erial, NJ
•Princeton Day School
Princeton, NJ
North Carolina
•Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
Chapel Hill, NC
•Cherokee County Schools
Murphy, NC
Ohio
•Old Trail School
Bath, OH
•Berea City School District
Berea, OH
Pennsylvania
•Charles F. Patton Middle School
Kennett Square, PA
•Northampton Community College
Bethlehem, PA
Rhode Island
•Paul W. Crowley East Bay Met School
Newport, RI
•Ponaganset High School
North Scituate, RI
Virginia
•Coles Elementary School
Manassas, VA
•Crozet Elementary School
Crozet, VA
•Bassett High School
Bassett, VA
•The Steward School
Richmond, VA
•University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Washington
•Discovery Elementary School
Everett, WA
•Hillcrest Elementary School
Oak Harbor, WA
•Image Elementary School
Vancouver, WA
•Tahoma School District
Maple Valley, WA
West Virginia
•North Elementary School
Morgantown, WV
Wisconsin
•Colby Elementary School
Colby, WI
•Lake Mills Elementary School
Lake Mills, WI
•Columbus Elementary-Discovery Charter School
Columbus, WI
•Middleton—Cross Plains Area Schools
Middleton, WI
•Western Technical College
La Crosse, WI
Columbus North High School, Columbus, Ind.
Building, selling, and sharing to benefit the community
Columbus North High School (CNHS), serving 2,023 students –32 percent of whom are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, and 12 percent of whom are limited English proficient — has a tradition of excellence that has focused on meeting and exceeding the needs of the community. Students are required to complete a senior service project to the community as a final step toward graduation. Each year, many of these projects focus on improving the physical environment of the school, and include recycling and energy reduction efforts. Public service announcements are made during lunch and at sporting events encouraging students and spectators to place their recyclable in the receptacles provided.
During the most rec