Elementary, middle, and high school students from Grades of Green schools in Santa Monica, together with community and environmental activists, made impassioned pleas to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Trustees this month to embrace sustainability throughout the district.  Seventy speakers were slated to testify about the necessity and benefits of long range sustainability planning.  Santa Monica High School students, some wearing “litter costumes”, shared data they collected while researching environmental concerns on their campus.  Waste, litter, plastic pollution, and water quality were some of the issues raised.  Even Grades of Green Youth Corps Eco-Leader Johanna J. joined the meeting to talk about her research on the environmental benefits of being vegan. Each speaker was allotted one minute to present their case. 

These students ROCKED the chamber.  Their voices were loud and their message was clear – include sustainability in the district’s mission, hire a sustainability officer, and establish a sustainability committee. 

These kids care about their planet and they stepped up to participate in the democratic process!  Want to learn ways that your school can care for the planet and implement an environmental activity like the Santa Monica Grades of Green students? Click here to register and unlock Grades of Green’s 40+ Activities. Interested in taking on an environmental activity of your own like Johanna? Click here to learn about Grades of Green’s Youth Corps Eco-Leadership program!

 

Grades of Green was featured in the Santa Monica Daily Press in recognition of all the Grades of Green Website Activities and Youth Corps Eco-Leadership Activities implemented throughout schools in Santa Monica! Check out the article here to see what schools in Santa Monica are doing to help the environment. Click here to register and unlock our 40+ Grades of Green Activities and click here to learn more about our Youth Corps Eco-Leadership Program.

The Grades of Green Team at Santa Monica High School is taking on Grades of Green’s Students In Action Activity to implement green projects in their community. From solar panel installation and campus composting to bans on water bottles and Expo Markers, this team hopes to improve not just one but several areas of the environment! Using the MISO (Media, Interview, Survey, Observation) which is currently being developed by Green Team teacher Ben Kay, students developed a clear plan to gather research on their chosen topic as well as ideas on who they need to present their research to in order to create real change. The final portion of their projects will include an awareness campaign on their topic to help educate their fellow peers and community members on environmental issues. Interested in creating a Green Team at your school but don’t know what activities to start with? Click here to register your school and gain access to Grades of Green’s Activities 40+ Activities!