August 2015 News
In This Issue
The Adirondack Youth Climate Summit
Start a NGSS Chapter
New NGSS Student Leadership
NGSS Student Profile
Former Green Schools Student Profile
Check Out Our Partners
About NGSS
Grant and Scholarship Opportunities

Interact With Green Schools!


 

Green Schools Sponsors

 

 

 

   

 

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The 2015-2016 school year is coming to a quick start and we'd like to encourage each NGSS Chapter to participate in a wonderful service project coordinated by one of our partners; the U.S. Green Building Council's Center for Green Schools.
 
Green Apple Day of Service gives teachers, students, parents, companies and local organizations the opportunity to help transform schools into healthy, safe and productive learning environments through local service projects. Improve indoor air quality, start a recycling program, have your students create an environmental signage campaign, or focus one of your lessons on environmental literacy. You can find more ideas and register an event today at greenapple.org/projects .
 
Event Date: September 26, 2015  - Please note that schools/groups can lead a GADOS at anytime 

Download the GADOS Project Toolkit

Download the GADOS Flyer

 
Join Green Schools at The Adirondack Youth Climate Summit
November 12 & 13, 2015 

The Adirondack Youth Climate Summit is a two-day event held at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY where students gather to learn about climate change and discuss sustainable solutions. The Adirondack Youth Climate Summit brings together a diverse set of nearly 200 high school & college students, teachers, and faculty from 30 schools across the Northeastern U.S. The Summit combines informative plenary sessions and workshops in an engaging atmosphere during this transformative educational experience. School teams create unique Climate Action Plans at the Summit to implement climate solutions in their schools and communities.

Download the flyer to learn more about how your school can attend! 

Start a National Green Schools Society chapter for 2015-2016 school year 

Now is the time to sign up for a National Green Schools Society Chapter for your school and students. Complete a NGSS Application TODAY. 


National Green Schools Society Announces New Student Leadership Team for 2015-2016 school year
National Green Schools Society is pleased to welcome an outstanding group of young environmental stewards who are taking on leadership roles in the organization. This group of high schools students will take the lead on setting a theme of action for NGSS chapters; representing National Green Schools Society at Massachusetts, New England and national events and speaking engagements; and being active in our webinars and reaching out to students and schools.

NGSS Officers
Melissa Cowell: Co-president, Ursuline Academy, Dedham, MA
Ehasanuzzaman Satu: Co-President, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Cambridge, MA
Eugen Cotie, NGSS National Ambassador, Rancho High School, Las Vegas, NV

NGSS Leadership Team
Ipswich High School, Ipswich, MA
  • Moira Callahan
  • Carly Restuccia
  • Chloe Lindahl
  • Jill Wall
  • Raina Baier
  • Claire Werner
Manchester Essex Regional High School, Manchester by the Sea, MA
  • Belle Allmendinger
  • Isabella Hickey
  • Maddie McMurry
  • Sarah Reed
Ursuline Academy, Dedham, MA
  • Ria Thekkethala 
Wellesley High School, Wellesley, MA
  • Matthew Hornung
  • Olivia Geiger
Meet Eugen Florin Cotei , National Green Schools Society's National Ambassador
Eugen Cotie
Eugen Florin Cotei is a junior at Rancho High School, Las Vegas, NV. He was appointed as a NGSS National Ambassador in his sophomore year.

I remember when I was 10 years old, running around the rolling green meadows of the breathtaking European Alps, and playing hide and seek with my sister. I grew up surrounded by nature in all forms and in a society where our Earth was revered culturally. It was engrained in my blood to take care of everything that surrounds me, whether it is a tree, or a small plant in the garden. These are memories that will never disappear from my mind. Living in Europe's greatest ecosystem is one of the most beautiful things I can remember. 


Former Green Schools Student Profile
Green Schools is delighted to share an exciting blog post on former Green Schools student leader Carol Bowe and her amazing summer internship while attending Bryn Mawr College. 

Congratulations Carol! 

Check Out Our Partners

When you become a National Green Schools Society Chapter you can get started right away with environmental service projects from our outstanding partners. We know that it is common for students and advisors to wonder about where to go for project ideas or they may have a hard time getting the environmental club started during the first few months of the year. To help you get started and keep the momentum going, check out our partner programs and pick one. We have carefully selected these partner programs because they are well supported, easy to implement, and really deliver on environmental impact in schools and communities. At the end of the year, apply for NGSS recognition using the projects and programs from our partners or use your school-based projects! All of these programs are FREE.


Eco-Schools USA
Eco-Schools is an internationally acclaimed program that provides a framework to help educators integrate sustainability principles throughout their schools and curriculum.

 

Alliance for Climate Education (ACE)
ACE does two things best. First, it teaches climate science that puts teenagers at the center of the story. The live, in-school assembly is award-winning and proven to work. Second, it gives every student a chance to take action. 


 The Center for Green Schools at the US Green Building Council (USGBC)

Green Apple Day of Service
Green Apple is a global movement to put all children in schools where they have clean and healthy air to breathe, where energy and resources are conserved, and where they can be inspired to dream of a brighter future. 


 Green Schools Alliance

Green Cup Challenge
The Green Cup Challenge invites all K-12 schools to measure and reduce energy use, improve recycling and waste reduction and promote water conservation. 

Planet Aid
Planet Aid is a nonprofit organization that collects and recycles used clothing and shoes to protect the environment and support sustainable development in impoverished communities around the world. 


 

Click to learn more about each partner 

 
About National Green Schools Society

National Green Schools Society (NGSS) provides a k-12 student recognition and awards program for environmentally focused students who are creating extraordinary impact in schools, organizations, and communities. Many of our students join NGSS to receive recognition for environmental service projects, environmental activism and leadership, environmental STEM projects (E-STEM), school projects that focus on the environment, and group projects. NGSS often is the catalyst to start or restart an environmental club in a school, and it serves as a continual motivator for students and advisors to maintain the club each year. This year we worked with students in public, private, charter, and home school.


 

For 2014-2015 school year, we recognized an array of student projects that include:

  • Environmental service project building trails in the Puerto Rico rainforest
  • Recycled art and ocean project
  • Elementary education program created and delivered by high school students
  • School garden programs and outdoor classrooms
  • Student-led divestment from fossil fuels activism on a state-wide level
  • Student leadership working with a town sustainability committee
  • Science experiments looking at global warming and ocean acidification impacts

Superintendents, administrators, and teachers say that NGSS is a no-brainer - it helps them to recognize environmentally focused students and highlight their achievements.

 

Grant and Scholarship Opportunities

 The Karma for Cara Foundation is encouraging kids 18 and under to apply for funds between $250 and $1,000 to complete service projects in their communities. Whether it is turning a vacant lot into a community garden, rebuilding a school playground or helping senior citizens get their homes ready for winter, they want to hear what project you're passionate about. Learn More


VolunTEEN Nation International Service Project Grants - Dealine: Rolling 

Students (ages 13-22) from the United States going abroad to volunteer or study in a developing country are encouraged to apply for an international service-learning mini-grant from VolunTEEN Nation. Grants are for up to $300 to create a service project in a developing country while you are visiting that country. Learn More
  

Sincerely,

Robin Organ

Founder and Executive Director

Green Schools