Joppa View Elementary Received Green
School Award
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Joppa View Elementary (JVE), along with 76 other Maryland Schools, 19
re-certifying Green Schools, and 6 model Green Schools make up the 2010
class of Maryland Green Schools Awards. The Maryland Green
Schools Award Program, developed and administered by the Maryland
Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE), challenges
schools to integrate the environment into all aspects of the school
culture including professional development for teachers, curricular
integration, modeling of best management practices inside and outside
the school, community involvement, and of course, celebration.
JVE students and teachers worked very hard over the past several years
on numerous environmental projects that qualified them as a Green
School. Some of those activities included: waste reduction
such as recycling aluminum cans, plastic water bottles, and papers, as
well as “Trash Free Tuesdays” during lunch to help make our world a
cleaner and greener place; energy conservation by turning off light
switches; and habitat restoration which included building and releasing
(10) Oyster Reef Balls into the Chesapeake Bay, creating a “no mow”
zone to establish a meadow, planting trees, flowers, butterfly bushes,
herb gardens, as well as weeding and mulching around the school.
JVE has also developed a strong community partnership with
several local businesses such as Lowe’s of White Marsh, Weis
Supermarket, Home Depot and Walmart who have either donated or
discounted plants, environmental kits, supplies, etc. to the students.
Due to their environmental efforts, JVE received a $4,200 grant from
Lowe’s Toolbox for Education this past year and was able to complete
many environmental projects and created several outdoor learning areas
for students.
“Congratulations to our students, teachers and parents for all of
their time and dedication in receiving the Green School Award.
These projects have reinforced the importance of keeping our school,
environment and Chesapeake Bay clean and healthy. Joppa View
Elementary takes great pride in team work, commitment and
responsibility,” said J. Scott Palmer, Principal.
To celebrate this unprecedented occasion, Joppa View Elementary held a
Green School Assembly on Wednesday, June 2. Each student
brought in aluminum cans to recycle as an entry ticket into the
assembly and songs were performed by students in the chorus and band
departments to celebrate this magnificent achievement.
Academically, Maryland Green Schools have been proven to outperform
non-Maryland Green Schools in math and reading even when socio-economic
factors are removed. This prepares students for becoming
environmental stewards as adults as well as for 21st- century “green”
jobs. Additionally, the projects that are implemented within the school
buildings and on the school grounds contribute to lowering green house
gas emissions, reducing pollutant export to the Bay, staunching solid
waste disposal, and increasing wildlife habitat.
“When I hand those Maryland Green School flags (symbol of
certification) to the schools, I know without a doubt that Maryland’s
future is bright and strong and in good hands,” said Bronwyn Mitchell,
MAEOE’s Executive Director.
Joppa View Elementary was officially recognized as a MAEOE Certified
Maryland Green School on June 4th, 2010 at a ceremony held at Sandy
Point State Park as part of the first annual Maryland Green School
Youth Summit. Though this is a great honor recognizing tremendous
effort expended by parents, teachers, administration, students and
volunteers, there is still more work to be done. The MAEOE
certification expires in four years. However, if we continue on
the green path we can recertify at that time – and that is what Joppa
View Elementary intends to do.
For more information about the Maryland Green School Program, please
visit the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor
Education’s website - www.maeoe.org.
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