Two Grades of Green Youth Board members, Grace and Sam, were nominated by the White House as “Champions of Change.”  A Champion of Change is a young leader who has committed themselves to making their schools and communities more sustainable.  Read more about Champions of Change.

Grace Cortese is a fifth grader at St. Matther’s Parish School in Pacific Palisades who is part of their “Teenie Greenies” environmental group.  She has been involved in promoting waste-free lunches and planting a fruit orchard on campus.

Sam Holze is a seventh grader at American Martyrs School in Manhattan Beach who has been involved in a collect used shoes for reuse project, as well as school supplies at the end of the school year.  Other projects he has been apart of are programs to carpool or ride bikes to his school.  Read more about Sam’s accomplishments that has the White House recognizing Sam a “Champion of Change” in the full article here.

The City of Hermosa Beach awarded Grades of Green with a certificate of recognition at the City Council Meeting on June 12, 2012.  Mayor Duclos presented the certificate to members from Grades of Green as well as to local Grades of Green Green Co-Chairs, Elizabeth Riley and Geri Shaprio, for their longstanding environmental leadership at Hermosa Valley School and Hermosa View School. Grades of Green is proud to partner with the Hermosa Beach Schools and the City of Hermosa Beach to support their efforts in creating an environmentally conscious community.

The CRRA is California’s statewide recycling association dedicated to achieving environmental sustainability in and beyond California through zero waste strategies. Grades of Green has earned this award based on its efforts to help many of its schools evaluate their waste stream and successfully implement programs that educate students about waste prevention and recycling in schools.

In particular, CRRA’s Awards Committee was impressed by the strides Grades of Green has made through its Trash Free Lunch program (including fun in-class recycling and in-class composting activities), that educates students about the importance of reducing lunchtime waste and then teaching them how to do just that.  One of Grades of Green’s Founding Directors, Suzanne Kretschmer, will be receiving the award on Tuesday, October 7 at the Oakland Convention Center.  Grades of Green thanks CRRA for this prestigious award!

Grades of Green was honored to receive the “I ♥ Manhattan Beach award” from the Mayor and City Council of Manhattan Beach, in recognition of its outstanding efforts to green schools in the community. The award, presented at the January 15th City Council Meeting, is given each month to organizations that have shown true community leadership. Grades of Green is proud to be inspiring and empowering Manhattan Beach kids to care for the environment!