At this year's Mayor's Environmental Luncheon, entitled Building a Green Jacksonville, three schools were recognized for their commitment to improving and protecting our environment and city.
For the second consecutive year,
R.V. Daniels Elementary received the Elementary School Award. The
Environmental Luncheon program stated:
Students at R.V. Daniels are learning real life lessons about sustainability. Under the tutelage of teacher Susan Burns, second graders are the primary caregivers of several sustainable gardens that serve as living laboratories. There students make sun charts, tend soybeans, release butterflies, meet beekeepers and even grow their own edible salad greens. Food grown in the gardens is used as part of an anti-obesity campaign that involves mentoring younger students, cooking seasonal foods and sharing nutrition information. Students routinely pick up trash around campus, and the school’s “Dads of Daniels” club regularly organizes cleanups.
In the high school category,
Sandalwood and
Ed White high schools were both recognized:
Sandalwood High School is an active, eco-friendly school, boasting a number of clubs that improve the campus, the community and Jacksonville through a variety of beautification and litter abatement projects. The school’s Green State Club participates in Keep Jacksonville Beautiful’s Adopt-A-Road program and hosts monthly cleanups at area parks. In 2009, members participated in more than 100 events, including the St. Johns River Celebration cleanup, International Coastal Cleanup and the Right Whale Festival. Before sustainability was mandated by the school board, the Green State Club purchased 55-gallon recycling bins to collect bottles and cans, and partnered with Paper Retriever Recycling for paper recycling.
Students at Ed White High School have taken multiple approaches to litter abatement, beautification and recycling. While custodial staff daily keep hallways clean and litter free, NJROTC students clean the campus after each football game and other large events. The team is working on beautifying the school’s flag area, and trimming and removing overgrown shrubbery. The Science and Environmental Club started a recycling program whose primary objectives are to establish a recycling program, increase awareness of recycling within the student body and extend the recycling program into the local community.
Twin Lakes Academy Elementary student Michael Perrone recited the Pledge of Allegiance at the May 21 luncheon, where Mayor John Peyton presented the awards to the schools.
**Pictures courtesy of the City of Jacksonville, from the
Environmental Luncheon 2010.
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