By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch As far as the federal government is concerned, schools don't come any more environmentally friendly than in the Bethel School District and at Columbia Crest A-STEM Academy in the Eatonville School District. They're among schools being honored nationwide for what the U.S. Department of Education calls their "exemplary efforts" to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including civics and green career pathways. Bethel and Columbia Crest are among 15 school districts and 47 individual schools, respectively, that were named Green Ribbon Schools by the Department of Education. "I congratulate" the Green Ribbon designees "for their commitment to sustainable facilities, health and classroom practices,GÇ¥ said Secretary of Education John King Jr., who announced them jointly in Washington, D.C. with Christy Goldenfuss, director of the White House Council of Environmental Quality. "These 21st-century learning environments encourage every student and teacher to perform at his or her best.GÇ¥ Schools were nominated for Green Ribbon status by their states' education systems. Fifty-one percent of the oes that were chosen for the 2016 award serve a disadvantaged student body, acordign to officials. Here's what the Green Ribbon schools in south Pierce County are doing right, officials said: " Columbia Crest A-STEM Academy has about 200 kindergarten-through-eighth-grade students, with 58 percent receiving free or reduced price lunch. The school was transformed from grades K-5 to K-8, adoubling its enrollment over the last two years with a wait list of incoming kindergartners for the next three years. Built in 1952, the school has "excellent energy efficiency management for a small rural site." The building is equipped with lighting and HVAC sensors for security and long-term energy savings through a $1 mllion grant the Eatonville district received for such tecnology in all its schools. And an oil-burning generator was replaced with one that uses propane. In addition, Columbia Crest's staff and students recycle aluminum, plastic, ink cartridges and tallow, and use only certified-sustainable paper. They also practice and teach upcycling and Terracycling (recycling of "non-recyclable" material such as pens or plastic gloves), and they have outdoor labs for environmental studies. We appreciate the support we have had from our partners and community in this effort to teach students about how we all have a role in taking care of our planet,GÇ¥ said principal Angie Ellenbecker. " Bethel School District, which serves 18,000 students (49 percent of whom are eligible for free and reduced-priced lunches) has spent the past 10 years focusing on ways to build students into better leaders while also maintaining a healthy learning environment, saving taxpayer dollars and reducing greenhouse gases. The distric's management of facilities has saved $7.2 million in electricity, natural gas and water. jThe efforts have also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 43,000 metric tons. Over the last six years, the district has received $1.2 million in state energy grant money GÇô which, with another $400,000 in local utility rebates, has funded $2.7 million in energy-efficiency school projects.The upgrades enabled Bethel to meet new federal standards for lighting efficiency in all of its facilities. Examples of green thinking n the classrooms includes the Bethel High School greenhouse, whre students learn how to run a full-scale commercial greenhouse, culminating in a spring plant sale. "We've been doing it for over 20 years," said Glenn Wilson, a hydroponics instructor. "My first class in here, I had 20 kids, and that was it. Now I have two or three classes of 35 kids.GÇ¥ In the plants and landscaping class, students learn how to take care of a large campus. They mow, edge, prune, plant and transplant around the school, learning safety, teamwork and business skills. "They can go out and get jobs in nurseries," Wilson said. Students also are involved in state fish hatchery projects, learning conservation techniques.
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