Our Mission
Educate and activate students to lead environmental change.
Our Values
Spread awareness, empower young minds, nurture respect, ensure access, foster collaboration, and drive impact.
Our Vision
A clean and sustainable environment for generations to come.
Meet Our Eco-Leaders
Throughout the years, Grades of Green has worked with incredible students who have made their way into college and/or the workforce. These all star students have made long lasting impacts in their community and continue to do so pursuing their passions.
Vanessa Polk
California State University, Long Beach
Vanessa (she/her) is a Black, Filipino, and queer digital media creative, environmentalist, and basic needs, food justice, and disability justice advocate. Under the moniker @QueerClimateBaddie, Vanessa combines digital media, education, and social justice to create educational and lifestyle content to envision what it looks like to be a Gen Z environmentalist in the 21st century. Vanessa recently graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science and Policy from California State University, Long Beach, and is committed to harnessing digital media and social justice to advocate for communities whose right to thrive is threatened by how they look or who they love.
Ayuk Marie Noel
International Relations Institute of Cameroon
Grades of Green has had the pleasure of working with Marie for the past few years as a Grades of Green student from Cameroon. Over the years, Marie has organized multiple waste campaigns in addition to a tree planting project in her community of Yaounde. She now serves as an Assistant Lecturer at Fobang Institute for Innovations in Science & Technology. Furthermore, Marie started working with Grades of Green as an Ambassador to pass on her knowledge of sustainable practices to other schools in Cameroon.
Kyle Phong
Whitney High School
Kyle was the president of Whitney High School’s Eco Club throughout the 2022-2023 semester. Kyle has been a part of Grades of Green for over 3 years and became a vital steward of environmental action throughout his community. During his time at the school, he helped organize multi-year tree plantings, fundraised for his school to use sustainable utensil alternatives, and much more! Kyle now attends UCLA majoring in Psychobiology.
Nkeng Joel Junior
University of Buea
Grades of Green has had the pleasure to work with Nkeng since 2020 with his team from University of Buea in Cameroon. Over the years, Nkeng has organized immense tree planting and waste management projects while partnering with major corporate and governmental partners in his community. In 2023, Nkeng started working with Grades of Green as an Ambassador to pass on his knowledge of sustainable practices to other schools in Cameroon.
Samantha Torres
Mira Costa High School
Sam is a youth environmentalist, vegan, and alumni from Mira Costa High School. She is the founder and president of the Grades of Green Club at Mira Costa and a former member of the Manhattan Beach Sustainability Youth Council. Sam was a member of Grades of Green for over 8 years, and was awarded the 2020 Student Leader. She is passionate about local civic engagement to produce changes in her community. Samantha now attends UC Berkeley majoring in Marine Science.
Umar Bilgrammi
Irvine High School
Umar has worked with Grades of Green for over 8 years. Since the beginning of elementary school, Umar has organized multiple award winning projects along with his siblings Ismail and Aisha to mitigate the impacts of climate change in his community. Umar recently finished his last year at Grades of Green in our SOAR program where we proposed a hydropower electricity generator to the West Basin Municipal Water District. Umar now attends Syracuse University majoring in Economics and Environment, Sustainability, Policy and Environmental Science. Umar will also continue his work with Grades of Green as a SOAR mentor for incoming cohorts.
History
Grades of Green is founded by four eco-conscious moms with children attending Grand View Elementary in Manhattan Beach, California: Lisa Coppedge, Shaya Kirkpatrick, Suzanne Kretschmer, and Kim Lewand Martin.
Grades of Green founders begin volunteering at Grandview Elementary School in Manhattan Beach California.
The program receives the EPA’s prestigious Environmental Award for inspiring kids and the broader school community to go green.
Grades of Green becomes an official 501c3 nonprofit.
Grades of Green officially launches its website on Earth Day 2010 to expand its access to programs!
Grades of Green’s programs reach 100,000 students across the globe
Grades of Green Youth Corps Leadership Program is awarded for its impact.
Grades of Green launches its RISE Campaign Program with a focus on conserving water and protecting our watersheds.
Grades of Green expands its programs to 36 states and 8 countries.
Students conserve a record 9,761,237 gallons of water in the water campaign.
County of Los Angeles awards the Green Leadership Award for student achievements in the water campaign.
The South Bay Business Environmental Coalition awards Grades of Green its second SEED Award for Environmental Leadership
The 3rd Grades of Green student wins the EPA’s coveted Presidential Environmental Youth Award.
Grades of Green unveils its LAUNCH Eco-Lesson Program to expand access to environmental education.
Grades of Green pilots its SOAR Eco-Innovation Academy to high school students in Southern California.
Awards & Recognition
2026 Nonprofit of the Year for California State Assembly District 66
Awarded for commitment to nurturing the next generation of environmental champions by providing students with mentorship, resources, and hands-on leadership training.
Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency
Prizes for Innovation Winner – Hunger to Health Collaboratory & Newman’s Own Foundation
Awarded for advancing youth health equity through nutrition education and sustainable school food programming
California State Legislature Certificate of Recognition
Awarded for 15 years of dedication to environmental stewardship and education
California Green Ribbon Silver Award
Awarded to Gretchen Whitney High School for environmental excellence in education, with support from Grades of Green
President’s Environmental Youth Award – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Awarded to Mary Bragg Elementary School, with support from Grades of Green
California Green Ribbon Silver Award
Awarded to Mary Bragg Elementary School for environmental excellence in education, with support from Grades of Green
California Nonprofit of the Year
Awarded by Senator Ben Allen for outstanding work in environmental education and youth leadership
Green Leadership Award – County of Los Angeles
Awarded for students’ achievements in the Water Campaign
Environmental Leadership SEED Award – South Bay Business Environmental Coalition (SBBEC)
Awarded for the Fall 2018 Water Campaign, which mentored 528 Eco-Leaders across 36 states and 8 countries and conserved over 9.7 million gallons of water
SEED Bridge Builder Award – South Bay Business Environmental Coalition (SBBEC)
Awarded to Grades of Green Youth Corps student Rylee Goldfarb for her seven years of eco-leadership organizing green festivals and leading environmental clubs
President’s Environmental Youth Award – White House
Awarded to Justin Sather, 9, for his “Parallel Projects” plastic waste initiative, made possible through a Grades of Green Eco-Grant
Award for Promotion of Good Environmental Stewardship – South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)
Awarded for the Youth Corps Eco-Leadership program
President’s Environmental Youth Award – White House
Awarded to Manhattan Beach Youth Corps student Joshua Cigoianu for his school-wide Grades of Green Water Reduction project
Innovation SEED Award – South Bay Business Environmental Coalition (SBBEC)
Awarded for helping to improve environmental sustainability and quality of life in the South Bay
Taproot Golden Root Award
Awarded for outstanding service and impact in the nonprofit sector
Runner-Up for the Youth Program Award – Keep America Beautiful
CRRA Outstanding Waste Prevention Award – 36th Annual Conference
Awarded for the Trash Free Lunch Challenge
Champions of Change Award – White House
Awarded to Grades of Green Youth Board Advisors Grace Cortese and Sam Holtz
Green Leadership Award – County of Los Angeles
Awarded for the Trash Free Lunch Program
EPA Environmental Award
Awarded for protecting public health and the environment
