Posts by maggie
Vernon Hills High School: School-Wide Zero Waste Strategic Plan
Students: 12 Staff: 4 Mentors: Damon Henrikson & Chris Philbrick Location: Vernon Hills, IL Grade Level: High School Our project was unique in the sense that we had already begun a Zero Waste program at Vernon Hills High School in our student cafeteria, however, there was no strategic plan in place for the project when…
Read MoreUplift Community High School: Living Wall
Students: 75 Staff: 10 Mentors: Brian Meade, Jason Klinker, & Kelly McCaffrey Location: Chicago, IL Grade Level: High School Students worked with architects from FGM to design a living wall installation in the newly opened Innovation Lab. The wall is a collection of individually designed planter modules that interconnect for one watering system. The goals…
Read MoreSouthside Occupational Academy: Southside Monarch Butterfly Conservation Program
Students: 48 Staff: 8 Mentor: Kristen Dimas Project type: Habitat Restoration Location: Chicago, IL Grade levels: all students Southside Occupational Academy’s project won the Judges’ Choice award for the 21-22 cohort of the Illinois Green Schools Project. Southside Occupational Academy is a CPS transition school serving young adults with intellectual & physical disabilities, ages 18-22,…
Read MoreMurphysboro Middle School: Putting Waste in its Place
Students: 12 Staff: 2 Mentor: Aur Beck Location: Murphysboro, IL With a focus on energy conservation, the goal of the Murphysboro student-led Eco Action team is to educate students and staff about plastic pollution, waste reduction, energy conservation, and recycling while taking action to make change. Their project consists of improving the in-school recycling program,…
Read MoreLockport Township High School: Learning and Living out ESG
Students: 30 Staff: 4 Mentor: Eileen Whitemiller Project type: Waste reduction Location: Lockport, IL Grade levels: 9-12 Starting in the cafeteria, the school has created a share-table where uneaten food can be donated for those in need, reducing the amount of food waste generated and associated GHG emissions. Speaking of food waste, the school has…
Read MoreLibertyville High School: Whole-School Sustainability in Action
Students: 102 Staff: 11 Mentors: Venkat Kumar & Heather Juhl Project type: Energy & Justice at School Location: Libertyville, IL Grade levels: 9-12 Libertyville High School won the Theme of the Year award for the 21-22 cohort of the Illinois Green Schools Project. Libertyville High School has engaged its students in environmental conservation & sustainability…
Read MoreCarruthers Elementary: A Year of Conservation and Creativity
Students: 475 Staff: 6 Project type: Energy Conservation Location: Murphysboro, IL Grade levels: 3-5 Carruthers Elementary School won the Creative Use of Resources award for the 21-22 cohort of the Illinois Green Schools Project. Carruthers focused on energy conservation, recycling, and being environmental stewards for bees and monarch butterflies. All of their students worked on the…
Read MoreChicago-Area School, District and University Named Recipients of U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Honors
By: U.S. Department of Education Award announced on Earth Day, recognizing efforts to reduce environmental impact and energy costs, improve health and wellness, offer effective sustainability education The U.S. Department of Education on Earth Day announced the 2022 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. In the greater…
Read More20 Visions of Our Green Building Future this Earth Day
To celebrate Earth Day this year – the year Illinois Green turns 20 years old – we wanted to share 20 visions and goals for the next 20 years from a few of the Illinois Green Alliance members who have helped get us to where we are today. We hope that you take today to…
Read More18 Schools Received a Mini-Grant to Implement a Sustainability Project
Congratulations to the 2021-22 Illinois Green Schools Project Mini-Grant Awardees! The Illinois Green Schools Project, a program that brings together students, teachers, and staff to implement hands-on sustainability projects, awarded mini-grants to eighteen K-12 schools across Illinois. Led by Illinois Green Alliance, the program invited participating schools to submit mini-grant proposals to support implementation of…
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