By Porscha Hayes, Green Schools Committee Member, and Lesli Moylan, Show-Me Green Schools Co-Manager
Photo: Making a Worm Bin
This year, Missouri Green Schools has the pleasure of recognizing 16 schools for achievements in 1) improving health and wellness, 2) lowering environmental impact, and 3) incorporating sustainability education! While the majority of schools recognized reside in the St. Louis area, Missouri Green Schools has honorees in the Springfield and Kansas City areas. Our 2024 Honorees documented varying levels of achievement, from making the initial commitment to systems change to showing high levels of impact in all 3 pillars of a green school, with two Seed schools, two Sprout schools, ten Seedling Schools, one Sapling school, and one Flowering Dogwood school. Seed schools are honored for involving school administration and setting goals, Sprout and Seedling schools are honored for beginning to track resource use, setting up a green team, and starting to incorporate sustainability education. Sapling and Flowering Dogwood schools are honored for continued progress and committing to mentorship of other schools. Here’s what some of our honorees had to say about the program:
- “Sustainability and nature connection have been part of Forsyth School’s culture for many years, and it is rewarding to see how the concept of reciprocity has grown over time. Students continue to lead service-oriented projects that help make the world a better place.” Susan Zareh, Forsyth School (Flowering Dogwood)
- “At Patrick Henry Downtown Academy, we are committed to the holistic well-being of our scholars. We incorporate daily movement into our routines, tend to our school garden and manage waste responsibly. Our staff and scholars are proud and continue to be excited to be a part of Missouri Green Schools.” Dr. Chavon Curry, Principal, Patrick Henry Downtown Academy (Seedling)
- “At Normandy Early Learning Center, our mission is to provide an environment filled with exploration, excitement, and engaging, hands-on learning with real world connections for our students. Missouri Green Schools provides support that directly ties in with our mission.” Sandra Davie, Normandy Early Childhood Center (Sprout)
Missouri Green Schools is a statewide recognition program that guides schools in systems-change to improve their school’s green and healthy practices. Schools can enroll anytime and take advantage of the guidance and resources the program offers towards holistic, school-wide, and long-term sustainability. Missouri Green Schools works relentlessly to lower the threshold for more accessible entry into the program and ensures schools on the pathway to whole-school sustainability can start with baby steps. For more information about Missouri Green Schools, including a press release, more statements from honorees, and a list of honorees by level, visit showmegreenschools.org.