April 2016 News
In This Issue
EE Week 2016
CHPS Training
White House Science Fair Toolkit
Apply for Sc3
Engage Your Fellow Students
Check Out Our Partners
Grant and Scholarship Opportunities

Interact With Green Schools!


 

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 NGSS Chapters in order for students to be eligible to receive NGSS recognition and awards at the end of the year all
documentation must be submitted by May 10th! 

Please refer to our NGSS Student Awards and Recognition page to submit online paperwork. 

NGSS seniors and graduates please note there is also a $45 fee to cover honor stoles, certificates and related processing and mailing fees. 

And DON'T FORGET Earth Day is April 22, 2016!! Do you have something planned for your chapter? School? Earth Day's Global 2016 Theme is "Trees for the Earth." Check it out!
Student Reflection from Green Schools Student Vice-President Eugen Florin
A bead of sweat formed on my forehead and my heart was pumping blood at a rate that was foreign to me. There I was, sitting in a cushioned seat, waiting to be called up to speak in front of a camera which would stream live to the entire nation. "Three, two, one. We are live. Welcome everyone, welcome to the White House Climate Change Event."

I will never forget this event as it was a culmination of four years of hard work where I learned to put my effort into helping others improve our planet, accumulating over 1000 hours of community service in the process. Through making my school fully sustainable with recycling, eliminating plastic bottles, and formulating techniques to spread climate education resources around the country I now understand that I am the one person on a dark street who can light one match and travel down the roads helping others light theirs. My match would  never make a difference, however when all of the small dots of light conjoin, only then the street brightens and shines. Read More
Please Welcome Incoming Green Schools' National Student Council Member Taq Quijano
My name is Tag Quijano. I am a Junior at Princeton Day School in Princeton, New Jersey, and am currently attending the School for Ethics and Global Leadership, a semester school in Washington, DC.
 
My interest in sustainability and the environment acts as an interdisciplinary medium to nurture my interests in science, engineering, and education. I am the co-head of my school's environmental club EnAct (Environmental Action) and am an active member on sustainability committees at my school and in the Princeton, NJ community including the Princeton Environmental Film Festival planning committee. Read More
Environmental Education Week 2016 
Environmental Education Week 2016 is April 17-23!

This year's theme is "Greening STEM: Rooted in Math". Developments in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are growing faster than ever. Nature is the perfect environment for teaching STEM, especially on Earth Day. Greening STEM brings environment education and STEM lessons together to create engaging, real-life examples and create excitement around STEM. The National Environmental Education Foundation encourages environmental learning through environment education events, Earth Day activities for kids, and green day projects across the country. These events are being led by formal and informal educators from various disciplines and include participants of all ages. Click for EE Week Resources
 NGSS Chapter Reminders
1) Don't forget to have an induction ceremony for new students. This can happen in the fall, spring or you can have rolling inductions if need be.  Student fees can be collected at this time.

2) Don't forget to keep track of your student service hours, especially those on the graduating track so  you can receive Green Schools recognition.

3) Now you can RENEW your NGSS Chapter online for the 2016-2017 school year!

4) If you have not already, Like and POST your ongoing work to Greenstudents Connect Facebook page. You could be featured in our next newsletter!

5) Don't forget to check out our Partner Page for more ideas for service projects and events for your school. Reminder that NGSS Partner page which contains contacts for our Partners is password protected. If you need a password reminder please send us an email. 

6) Our Chapter Profile Page is LIVE! We will have an ongoing collection of Chapter Profiles and Student Profiles so continue to send in your amazing work!


Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Training 
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), Massachusetts Facilities Administrators Association (MFAA) and NEEP are hosting a high performance schools training workshop on April 21, 2016 at Maynard High School. You'll hear everything you need to know in order to implement NE-CHPS Version 3.1 for your next building project. 
 
Register NOW to explore green solutions for schools in Massachusetts
White House Science Fair Educational Toolkit

On April 13th, the White House hosted the 6th White House Science Fair. This year's White House Science Fair highlighted the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the next generation of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and innovators. Students attending this year's Science Fair are tackling some of our Nation's greatest challenges - from combating climate change, to uncovering new ways to fight cancer, to discovering ways to reach farther beyond our atmosphere as a part of the Mars generation.

To encourage STEM learning the White House has released an Educational Toolkit to go along with the science fair.
Events and Programs
Manchester Essex Regional School District Green Team  
Greening Your 21st Century School - Friday May 6, 2016 
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

The principle goals of this training are to learn how to:
  1. Implement exemplary and sustainable practices in your K-12 school
  2. Reduce environmental impact and costs  
  3. Provide experiential environmental education designed to learn many disciplines including STEAM subjects, develop leadership and civic skills, and hone critical thinking skills
Student Climate & Conservation Congress - Apply Online!
Be a part of a week-long journey that lasts a lifetime! The mission of the Student Climate & Conservation Congress (Sc3) is to empower outstanding student environmental leaders with the skills, knowledge, and tools to address climate change and natural resource conservation challenges and better serve their schools and communities.  

WHEN: Sunday, June 26 - Saturday, July 2, 2016
WHERE: National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV
WHO: Current 8th - 11th Grade Students
(A limited number of faculty positions are available for educators.)
COST: $950 if you apply by March 15. 6 nights, all-inclusive (except transportation to WV). Financial Aid is available.
 Start a National Green Schools Society Chapter TODAY!
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 (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.
Engage Your Fellow Students!
Ask your fellow students to join the NGSS Chapter! Put up this flyer around your school with information on your chapter or team's next meeting. 
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.

 

Click to learn more about our partners
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