State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond honored four San Diego County public and private schools Wednesday for reducing their carbon footprints and improving the health and wellness of students and staff.
Thurmond honored Solana Beach’s St. James Academy, San Diego’s Francis Parker School, La Mesa’s St. Martin of Tours Academy and Carlsbad’s Buena Vista Elementary as “Green Ribbon Schools.”
St. James Academy is also one of four schools and one district in the state to be honored as a “Green Achiever,” the highest honor for a Green Ribbon School.
In total, the state honored 20 schools, three districts and one county with Green Ribbon awards.
“California Green Ribbon Schools engage our kids to understand and act on behalf of their environment,” Thurmond said. “From global-sized problems like climate change to local challenges like water quality, sustainability education grows the creativity, critical thinking skills, and environmental literacy our students need in order to lead now and into the future.”
The superintendent’s office praised St. James Academy for environmentally sound developments on campus like a green schoolyard with an outdoor classroom, worm compost areas and a garden designed specifically for pollinators.
In 2017, the school also produced a performance of Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax.” Students who performed in the play marched during the Encinitas Christmas Parade later that year to advocate for environmental sustainability.
The state nominated the five Green Achiever honorees to compete in the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools program. The department will confirm nominees from 28 participating states later this year.
– City News Service