On February 28, 2012, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan gave the keynote speech for the Green Schools National Network Conference which took place in Denver, Colorado. In his keynote, Mr. Duncan noted that the Green Schools Conference “is a powerful testament to the fact that the green movement is no longer a sidelight in our nation's schools. For too long, greening our schools, developing environmental literacy, and nurturing stewardship and an ethic of sustainability in our students have been after-thoughts in education debates.” Mr. Duncan noted two takeaway messages in his speech Tuesday. First – That Green Schools and Environmental Literacy compliment the goals of providing a well-rounded education for the 21st century. Second – Not only do green schools compliment much of America’s core educational mission, they also nurture unique skills of special value in a knowledge-based economy. Mr. Duncan noted an interesting figure, that in 2001, less than 19,000 students nationwide took the AP Environmental Science Exam and in 2011, the number of students was nearly 100,000 – an increase nearly five-fold.
In addition, Mr. Duncan acknowledged “Green schools don't have to be brand new schools. They can be older schools taking simple steps to reduce their environmental impact or teach environmental literacy. Perhaps they start with packing lunches in reusable containers, providing healthy alternatives to birthday cupcake celebrations, and using private sector partnerships, as they have at Bond Mill Elementary in Laurel, Maryland. Not far from Bond, at Northwood High School, older students worked with community partners to restore a wooded area, install rain gardens, construct a trail, and improve habitat.” We are so excited that MAEOE MD Green Schools are receiving National Recognition for their amazing efforts and green works! The full article can be found at http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/greening-our-schools
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