Shelby County Schools' Sustainable Schools Challenge is a certification program that recognizes educators and students who are endeavoring to create a more sustainable future. From the 12 schools that participated in the challenge during the 2014-2015 school year, only nine made the cut to be recognized at the first annual awards ceremony last month.
Schools that were on board with the program had to demonstrate their growth in establishing a school-wide recycling program, performing an energy audit and taking steps to curb consumption, participating in an education program in nutrition and wellness, establishing a school garden, carrying out a service-learning project each semester, and improving students’ overall environmental literacy.
Schools that participated in the SSC pilot year include American Way Middle, Carnes Elementary, Cordova Middle, Idlewild Elementary and charter schools Freedom Prep, Grad Academy, New Hope Christian and Soulsville School as well as University of Memphis’ Campus School.
Idlewild Elementary received special recognition for reducing total energy consumption by 21 percent.
The program is organized by
Clean Memphis and steered by the
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Janet Boscarino, Executive Director of Clean Memphis, spearheaded the program in response to the discontinuation of the Green Schools Program, an initiative of the Tennessee Department of Prevention Partnership. The SCC is more in line with a federal initiative, the
U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Program.
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