U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, Districts and Postsecondary Institutions Recognized; Green Strides Tour Announced

Washington, D.C. – Forty-six schools and six districts were honored today at the 2018 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools ceremony for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education.

In addition, six colleges and universities were recognized with the Postsecondary Sustainability Award.  Representatives from honored schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions received sustainably crafted plaques in recognition of their achievements.

On hand for the ceremony at the U.S. Commerce Department were Assistant U.S. Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Frank Brogan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Education Director Louisa Koch, Director of the Campaign for Environmental Literacy James L. Elder and Director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council Anisa Heming.

“Today’s honorees can be proud of what they have accomplished in their local communities,” Brogan said.  “They have reduced institutional operating costs and helped conserve our precious natural resources, while engaging students in authentic sustainability learning in safe, healthy and inspiring environments.”

“Our children are the hope and promise for our future and an even better future for generations to come,” Koch said.  “The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition awards honor what the students, teachers and staff are doing to make the world a better place.”

“Over the past seven years, U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools have helped to define what it means to be a sustainable school and how to effectively offer environmental education, so it’s my pleasure to celebrate this work annually,” Elder said.

“U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools support students’ development into responsible, compassionate and engaged citizens,” Heming said. “We applaud these outstanding schools, districts and postsecondary institutions for improving educational facilities to promote health and environmental stewardship, and for ensuring students have an opportunity to engage in real-world learning about the natural environment and the world around them. We also commend the U.S. Department of Education’s continued commitment to highlighting these schools’ successes through this program.”

Brogan also announced the 2018 Green Strides Tour, this year under the theme, “Living School Grounds.”  This year’s tour will take place in October and spotlight the use of school grounds to achieve environmental, health, and educational aims in past school honorees in Missouri.

The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 25 states and the Department of Defense’s Department of Education Activity. The selectees include 40 public schools, including two magnet schools and two charter schools, as well as six nonpublic schools. Forty-five percent of the 2018 honorees serve a disadvantaged student body.

View the list of all selected schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions and summaries of each of the 58 honorees.  More information on the federal recognition award can be found here. Resources for all schools to meet the award criteria can be found here.

 

Featured

  • Tufts University Breaks Ground on Two New Residence Halls

    Tufts University in Medford, Mass., recently broke ground on two new residence halls with a total capacity of 664 beds, according to local news. The project’s ultimate goal is to expand on-campus housing and reduce pressure on the local housing market.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

  • Delta State University Completes Renovations to School of Nursing Facilities

    Delta State University recently completed a major expansion and renovation project for the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing facilities on its campus in Cleveland, Miss., according to a news release. The project includes about 14,000 square feet of new construction and more than 21,000 square feet of renovation work to the existing space.

  • California Boarding School Opens New Inquiry Collaborative Facility

    Cate School, a boarding school in Carpinteria, Calif., for students grades 9–12, recently announced that it has finished renovating a historic dining hall into a new academic hub, according to a news release. The school partnered with Blackbird Architects and Tangram Interiors on the two-story, 16,000-square-foot Inquiry Collaborative.

Digital Edition