The National Wildlife Federation and New Jersey Audubon awarded the Eco-Schools USA Silver Award to Parkway Elementary School and Bronze Awards to Antheil and Lore elementary schools.
Eco-Schools is an international program that engages schools in efforts to improve student environmental literacy and skills. Eco-Schools in New Jersey is a partnership between National Wildlife Federation and New Jersey Audubon and claims more than 230 schools throughout the state.
To earn the awards, the schools tackled environmental issues by making improvements to school grounds and curriculum around issues such as energy efficiency, waste disposal and water conservation.
Parkway was awarded the Silver Award for its efforts in improving biodiversity around the school and encouraging outdoor learning. The second grade team adopted the Eco-Schools program as a method to pilot the new science standards through hands-on experiential learning in their gardens. Students spent time working in the school garden, growing food and flowers and tending to compost.
Antheil and Lore enhanced their gardens to improve biodiversity on school grounds. All Ewing elementary students received additional environmental education from New Jersey Audubon Society’s Plainsboro Preserve naturalists thanks to a grant from the FISH Organization.
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