King County Green Schools recognizes several LWSD schools for their work in resource conservation

The King County Green Schools (KCGS) program recently handed out recognition to schools for their work in resource conservation. Several schools from Lake Washington School District (LWSD) were acknowledged for their efforts as part of this program. Below is a list of the schools recognized with an explanation of what they accomplished this school year.

Student teams in action
Twenty student teams and their schools from throughout the county were highlighted in the June newsletter for the work they did. Three of those schools were from LWSD. KCGS highlighted the following schools as they learned about resource conservation and took steps toward sustainability this school year. Below are the LWSD schools who were mentioned:

• Environmental and Adventure School (EAS):
  Green Team students at Environmental and Adventure School (Lake Washington School District) researched energy conservation strategies and helped their peers learn how to reduce carbon emissions. With a $5,000 grant from Washington State Department of Ecology's Waste Not Washington program, plus funds from printer cartridge and cell phone recycling, the school purchased a Ridan Food Composter. Learning to use the composter efficiently had a learning curve, but the students never gave up. As part of a new lunch routine, students placed their food scraps in a food grinder to increase surface area of the scraps and to improve the quality of the
• Ella Baker Elementary School:
  Students and PTSA members at Ella Baker Elementary School (Lake Washington School District) pulled weeds and laid down cardboard to prepare raised garden beds. Students helped make a composting instructional video which was shown on Earth Day. In April, with the school custodian, the students restarted the school's composting collection program.
   
• Christa McAuliffe Elementary School:
  Students at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School (Lake Washington School District) shared monthly waste reduction, recycling, and energy conservation messages with the school. The PTSA posted weekly “Waste Reduction Wednesday” tips and facts on its Facebook page. In October 2021, the school hosted its second annual "Virtual Walk-tober" where students recorded days they walked, biked, or scootered on calendars and turned them in for rewards.

Sustaining Green Schools 2021-22
The following LWSD schools are recognized as Sustaining Green Schools for sustaining their Level One, Two, and Three practices, and completing an additional conservation action or educational strategy.

• Carl Sandburg Elementary School / Discovery Community School
• Environmental & Adventure School

Level Two (energy conservation)
The following LWSD schools are recognized as Level Two Green Schools for learning about and engaging in energy conservation actions while maintaining their Level One waste reduction and recycling practices.

• Christa McAuliffe Elementary School
• Rachel Carson Elementary School

Level One (waste reduction and recycling)
The following LWSD schools are recognized as Level One Green Schools for initiating or improving waste reduction and recycling practices.

• Louisa May Alcott Elementary School
• Timberline Middle School

Student team recognition
The following LWSD student teams are recognized for their 2021-2022 activities for sustainability.

• Benjamin Franklin Elementary School
• Benjamin Rush Elementary School
• Carl Sandburg Elementary School / Discovery Community School
• Christa McAuliffe Elementary School
• Ella Baker Elementary School
• Emily Dickinson Elementary School
• Environmental & Adventure School
• Inglewood Middle School
• John James Audubon Elementary School
• Juanita Elementary School
• Juanita High School
• Lake Washington High School
• Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary School
• Norman Rockwell Elementary School
• Rachel Carson Elementary School
• Timberline Middle School