Q&A with Illinois Green Schools Project Mentors — Uplift Community High School + FGM Architects

This sketch was created by Tattianna, one of several teaching artists who is contributing curriculum and/or methods for demonstrating knowledge using arts working in classrooms this year. She is with Uplift’s community partner, the hip hop arts collective Kuumba Lynx (KL).

by Brian Meade, Nadia Lohse, and Kelly McCaffrey, Green Schools Mentors from FGM Architects The Illinois Green Schools Project, launched last summer, connects educators and students with professional mentors in the green building community. In our pilot cohort, 25 professional mentors were matched with 14 participating schools across the state. As we reach the halfway…

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State Board Calls for Green Ribbon Schools Applications

Green Ribbon Schools Program Seeks to Highlight Illinois’s Schools and Districts Commitment to Environmental Education and Sustainability SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is proud to announce the launch of the application process for the 2023-24 Illinois Green Ribbon Schools Award. This program is designed to recognize and celebrate the unwavering commitment…

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Lincoln Middle School Goes Green…Again

Project Type: Waste Reduction Students: 202 Staff: 1 Mentor: Robyn Munici Location: Park Ridge, IL Grade Level: Grades 6-8 The Project As a participant in the 2022-23 cohort of the Illinois Green Schools Project, worked to engage students and community in waste reduction. Lincoln Middle School worked last year to implement a waste reduction program,…

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Wolcott College Prep: Student Led Green Shield Certification for Healthy Schools

Project Type: Path to Net Zero, Indoor Environmental Quality, Native Plant, Sustainability Plan Development, Waste Reduction Students: 6 Staff: 3 Mentors: Matt Johnson, Melissa Rodas Location: Chicago, IL Grade Level: 12th Grade The Project Wolcott College Prep brought Integrated Pest Management (IPM) expert Dr. Thomas Green to their school to provide students and staff with…

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Whitney M. Young High School: Green Team

Project Type: Path to Net Zero, Energy Conservation, Indoor Environmental Quality, Waste Reduction, Water Conservation Students: 45 Staff: 5 Mentor: Ajit Naik, Baumann Consulting Location: Chicago, IL Grade Levels: 9th – 12th The Project As a participant in the 2022-23 cohort of the Illinois Green Schools Project, the Whitney Young Green Team counts this year a…

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River Trails Middle School: Green Cafeteria

Project Type: Path to Net Zero, Indoor Environmental Quality, Waste Reduction Students: 70 Staff: 15 Mentor: Jason Meyering, Jason Meyering Architecture Location: Mount Prospect, IL Grade Levels: 6th – 8th The Project As a participant in the 2022-23 cohort of the Illinois Green Schools Project, River Trails Middle School desired to green up their cafeteria space…

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Solorio Academy High School: Community Green Space & Waste Reduction

Project Type: Path to Net Zero, Habitat Restoration, Native Plant Garden, Outdoor Learning Space, Waste Reduction Students: 25 Staff: 2 Mentor: Jan Clarence Concepcion, HUSArchitecture Location: Chicago, IL Grade Levels: High School The Project Students at Solorio Academy High School developed a plan for improving the campus green space and involving the community in bringing the…

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2023 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Honorees from the Illinois School Board of Education Announced

Award Honors Schools, Districts, and Postsecondary Institutions for Reducing Environmental Impact and Costs, Improving Health and Wellness, Offering Effective Sustainability Education The U.S. Department of Education today released the names of the 2023 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees.  One school and one district from Illinois are…

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Green Ribbon Schools

Illinois Green Ribbon Schools Illinois Green Ribbon Schools applications are now open for the 2023/2024 school year. Submit applications to greenribbon@isbe.net by December 22, 2023. Download the PreK-12 School & District Application Download the Postsecondary / Higher Education Application Earn national recognition for your school’s sustainability work. The US Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools…

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Whitney Young Magnet High School: Green Team’s Earth Week

Students: 15 Staff: 2 Mentor: Kitty Knauz & Emily Lanyon Project type: Various Location: Chicago, IL Grade levels: 7-12 Whitney Young worked on a multi-part plan to create sustainable change in the school while educating students and staff about being more environmentally friendly. Students formed a school Green Team to raise awareness among their peers through…

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