Patrick Administration Recognizes 34 Bay State Schools for 15th Annual Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education Honors
Non-profit organizations and school districts also recognized
During a State House ceremony, Environment Undersecretary Philip Griffiths presented awards to 34 schools and three school districts in 34 communities across Massachusetts. Several nonprofit organizations were also recognized. The awards honored programs in categories such as wind feasibility studies, alternative fuel vehicles and river ecology.
"Today we honor the good work of teachers, students and non-profit environmental educators who have dedicated their time to raising awareness about energy and environmental issues,'' Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Bowles said. "These programs, which go beyond standard school curriculum, encourage students, teachers and communities to embrace efforts to protect the planet, reduce waste and build awareness of how energy is produced and conserved."
Three district-wide awards were presented to Andover Public, Berkshire Hills Regional and Framingham Public School Districts. Individual awards went to teachers and students from communities across the state. In Framingham two schools were honored for projects about global warming and recycling. Two schools each were honored in Holden and Taunton, and the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich won honors for two of its programs.
In addition, honors went to several non-profit organizations including Cape Light Compact in Barnstable, Green Schools in Mansfield, Green Education Foundation in Walpole, the Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust, Cohasset Center for Student Coastal Research and the Massachusetts Audubon Society-Drumlin Farm in Lincoln. The McCullough Family home school in Sutton was also honored.
"I applaud the efforts of these students, teachers and schools for their initiative and creativity in devising high quality educational experiences which focus on better care for our environment," said Education Secretary Paul Reville. "These projects comprise the type of real world, 21 st century learning that is taking place in schools across the state where classroom teachers challenge students with innovative lessons which make environmental science come to life. I am grateful to our colleagues in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for making this great program possible."
The top winners were awarded $200 to $300 prizes. Paid for through the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, the awards are intended to fund further environmental education initiatives at the schools. Honorees voluntarily incorporated energy and environmental issues into their science curricula or after school environmental clubs or projects.
"We applaud the efforts of these schools and organizations to encourage environmental stewardship across the state," Undersecretary Griffiths said. "We hope their efforts inspire other students, schools and communities to learn about environmental topics ranging from recycling and energy efficiency to wind power generation and global warming."
EEA solicited Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education Award nominations in early 2009. Schools and organizations that voluntarily incorporate environmental education into public or private school curricula are eligible. The Secretary's Advisory Group on Energy and Environmental Education - comprised of environmental educators from state agencies, non-profits, industry and academia - scored the project applications.
15 th Annual Secretary's Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education
| Municipality | School/Program |
| ANDOVER | Andover Public School District "Engineering a Better World" |
| ASHBURNHAM | John R. Briggs Elementary School "Integrating Technology into Environment at Integrating Context" |
| BALDWINVILLE | Narragansett Regional High School "Environmental Science Class and Environmental Issues Classes" |
| BARNSTABLE | Cape Light Compact "Energy Education Program" |
| BOSTON | Dennis Haley Elementary School BPS "Boston Family Boat Building" |
| BOURNE | Bourne Middle School "Energy Savers Club" |
| BOYLSTON | Tahanto Regional Middle/High School "Envirothon Team Boylston Nature Quest" |
| CAMBRIDGE | Prospect Hill Academy Charter School "EPICS: Green Roofs for the 21 st Century" |
| CHATHAM | Chatham Elementary School "School-wide Recycling Program" |
| CHESTERFIELD | New Hingham Regional Elementary School "Tekoa Mountain Outdoors Adventure Learning and Leadership Programs" |
| COHASSET | Cohasset Center for Student Coastal Research "Biofilm and Enterococcus in Cohasset Harbor, 2008" |
| DARTMOUTH | Dartmouth High School "Wind Feasibility Study" |
| DRACUT | Brookside Elementary School "Earth Week Project" |
| EASTHAM | Eastham Elementary School "Science Club Energy Projects" |
| FRAMINGHAM | Charlotte Dunning Elementary School "Green Team" |
| FRAMINGHAM | Framingham Public School District "Conservation Committee" |
| FRAMINGHAM | Fuller Middle School "English Language Learners/Buds, Leaves, and Global Warming" |
| GLOUCESTER | Beeman Elementary School "Living Blue Exhibition" |
| GREAT BARRINGTON | Berkshire Hills Regional School District "Project Sprout" |
| HARWICH | Cape Cod Regional Technical High School "Renewable Energy Education and Awareness Program" |
| HARWICH | Cape Cod Regional Technical High School "Environmental Studies /Tech Prep" |
| HOLDEN | Dawson Elementary School "River Exchange Project" |
| HOLDEN | Dr. Leroy E. Mayo Elementary School "Going Green" |
| LAKEVILLE | G.R. Austin Intermediate School "Ecology Club" |
| LEOMINSTER | Center for Technical Education "Alternative Energy Program" |
| LEXINGTON | Minuteman Regional High School "Environmental Technology Program" |
| LOWELL | Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust in Partnership with The Massachusetts Audubon Society-Drumlin Farm "Stewardship Through Leadership: Backyard Adventures" |
| MANSFIELD | Green Schools "Environmental Education" |
| MATTAPOISETT | Old Rochester Regional High School "Old Rochester Environmental Organization Recycle Program" |
| MILLVILLE | Millville Elementary School "Power to Save" |
| NEW BEDFORD | Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School "Aqua Ponics at the Bioneers by the Bay" |
| NORWELL | South Shore Charter Public School "Animal and Environmental Workshops: Alternative Travel Group" |
| PEABODY | Captain Samuel Brown School "Environmental Awareness and Action - Year 2" |
| QUINCY | Beechwood Knoll Elementary School "Environmental Area Project" |
| SOUTH EASTON | Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School "MA Waterfowl Awareness Action Project" |
| SUTTON | Carrick McCullough/McCullough Family (home school) "Our Renewable Nation" |
| TAUNTON | Friedman Middle School "Gang Green" |
| TAUNTON | James L. Mulcahey Middle School "Mulcahey Recycling Team" |
| WALPOLE | Fisher Elementary School in partnership with the Green Education Foundation "The Green Experiment" |
| WESTFORD | Abbot Elementary School "Abbot Nature Trail: Student Blog and Field Guide" |
| WILLIAMSBURG | Helen E. James School "The Green Team" |
| WORCESTER | Worcester Technical High School "Environmental Technology Program: Tackling Storm Water in the Blackstone River Watershed Headwaters" |
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