2009 Green Schools Awards Luncheon Recognizes Twenty One Palm Beach County Schools
Public and private schools in Palm Beach County that made the grade in going “green” during this school year were recognized for their efforts at the first annual Green Schools Recognition Luncheon at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties on April 21, 2009, the day before Earth Day. Seven of these outstanding schools received some “green” for going green. Meteorologist Kate Wentzel of WPBF News Channel 25, helped recognize each school as the Master of Ceremonies. The luncheon also featured a special ‘green’ menu created by Sandy James Fine Food Productions consisting of local organically-grown foods.
St. Juliana was awarded the Green School of Promise.
This program was sponsored by The Environmental Endowment Fund, The Hans and Mary Stratmann Intergenerational Fund and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fund of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. The Community Foundation provided a grant to Florida Atlantic University’s Pine Jog Environmental Education Center in West Palm Beach, who organized the program and event.
The Green Schools Recognition Program honored twenty-one schools that have demonstrated their commitment to “greening” their school’s practices and curriculum. Schools were recognized as being either “Green Schools of Promise,” “Green Schools of Quality” or “Green Schools of Excellence.”
Sacred Heart was awarded the Green School of Promise.
Three schools were recognized as Green Schools of Excellence and received cash awards 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. Jupiter High School was recognized as the top ranking Green School in Palm Beach County and received a $2,000 cash award. The next two schools in the Green Schools ranking were Morikami Park Elementary School and Pine Jog Elementary School, each receiving a $1,000 cash award.
Four schools received Judge’s Choice awards of $500 each. The Judge’s Choice winners were Jupiter Middle School, St. Andrews School, Don Estridge Middle School and Palm Beach Day Academy. Two of the Judge’s Choice awards were made possible by the Audubon Society of the Everglades and the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County.
Jupiter Middle was awarded the Green School of Quality as well as a $500 Judge's Choice Award.
Please see our front page for a full list of the 2009 honorees.
In addition to the Green Schools, other integral organizations and persons, who helped make The Green School Recognition Program possible, attended the Green School Luncheon. First, the Green School Steering Committee, a dedicated group of people who helped guide and conceptualize the Green School Recognition Program were present and recognized. Additionally, Green School Judges were thanked at the luncheon for the valuable time they spent reviewing and scoring all the applications. The Audubon Society of the Everglades and the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County were also graciously thanked for their cash donations of $500 each that made two of our Judge’s Choice Awards possible. Lastly, special guests such as board members from the Community Foundation and Pine Jog Environmental Education Center were honored.
The collaborative efforts and hard work from the Green Schools and community organizations prove that The Green Schools Recognition Program’s mission of encouraging schools to create cultures of sustainability within their communities is a reality in Palm Beach County. And that was certainly something worth celebrating!
School Representatives at Luncheon.
