2010 Conference Report

On May 1, 2010, 250 teachers, principals, administrators, students, parents, and community members from throughout the Bay Area gathered at the Dolce Hayes Mansion to Learn, Lead, and Inspire environmental change in schools. Attendees had the opportunity to hear about cutting-edge environmental topics for classroom curricula, sustainable school maintenance practices, cool nature field trips for students and more.

We were motivated by youth keynote speaker, Alec Loorz’s presentation on Global Warming; thoroughly impressed by the display of student-made solar projects including solar communities, fountains, musical kinetic sculptures, and solar powered lunchboxes; and pleased with the wide array of exhibitors represented at the conference to share tips and useful resources with all of our attendees.

At a special afternoon reception, guests had a chance to network with other attendees and hear performing artist and Project Y.O.U.R.S. director, Lisa Payne’s unique lyrical call to environmental action. Finally, we rounded out the day with the announcement of the 2010 Green Star Award Recipients! Congratulations to those who were recognized; we applaud you all for your efforts to launch environmental action in schools.

2010 Green Star Award Recipients!

Green Star Outstanding School District:

Representatives from Evergreen School District accept their award.Evergreen School District is truly leading the way to a greener future with district-wide implementation of sustainability strategies. Evergreen’s accomplishments have made it one of the greenest school districts in California. Evergreen’s accomplishments include the first "Net-Zero Energy/Emissions" public school facility in California (the LeyVa Middle School Administration Building). This facility, which is 41% more energy efficient than Title 24 energy code requirements, will save the district more than $9,000 annually on energy costs. Evergreen uses an Energy Management System and a centralized, digitally controlled turf/landscape irrigation system to reduce energy and water consumption. The district uses recycled water for landscaping, wherever it is available. Facility energy-conservation measures include high-performance insulation and cool-roof coatings on all flat-roofs, and the district is incorporating the use of clean energy through the installation of solar panels. Evergreen’s bus fleet runs on compressed natural gas, demonstrating use of alternative fuels for transportation. Evergreen has also adopted sustainability measures in everyday activities, such as the adoption of “paperless” communications in several schools, and student-run recycling programs.

Evergreen has also connected its operational sustainability efforts with classroom curriculum. For example, each LeyVa Middle School building will record and meter its energy use through an "energy kiosk.” The District—in collaboration with Going Evergreen—worked with the Department of Energy and the Center for Research in Vocational Education to bring the "Renewable Energy and Efficiency Education on Wheels" van to its middle schools, showing students how photovoltaic panels work. This year, an “instructional garden” at Chaboya Middle School was created with a $5,000 City of San José grant.

Green Star Outstanding School:

Representatives from Pioneer High School accept their award.Pioneer High School, a National Service Learning Leader School, has developed its program around environmental initiatives, many of which were started years ago. Their environmental efforts span from curriculum integration to clubs and other school-wide programs. Highlights of the school’s environmental curriculum include the STEP program, where endangered steelhead trout are raised for later release into the San Lorenzo River, an Environmental Science AP class, and BioSite (in partnership with the Children’s Discovery Museum) where students are educated to act as environmental science mentors to elementary school students throughout San Jose Unified school district. Pioneer students in their sophomore year must choose a world problem, research it, and perform service trying to solve it. About 20% of Pioneer’s students choose an environmental issue to solve, a true testament to the integration of environmental awareness within the school. Pioneer has adopted part of Guadalupe Creek since 1999, providing litter control and basic creek preservation for a portion of the creek behind the school. Environmental Clubs at the school include an amazing greenhouse project where students have been growing native vegetation in an onsite greenhouse that is then given away to the public for free. Some of the vegetation is also donated to Our City Forest, the Santa Clara County Water District, and the City of San José for restoration projects. Another inspiring program at the school is Clean Streams Clean Bay, where students do authentic field research focused on the health of the Guadalupe River Watershed, communicate their results to the school community and general public, and then go out into the community and volunteer their time in helping to educate the community about the health issues facing our local watershed.

Green Star Outstanding Custodian:

Marty Dorr accepts his award.Mr. Marty Dorr has been Noddin’s Custodian for 17 years. Three years ago, Noddin School, embarked on a mission to change how they looked at garbage. Noddin, who’s enrollment is approximately 600, is now a Go Green School supported and recognized by the City of San Jose’s Environmental Services Department as a model school. Mr. Dorr was an essential part of this achievement. Becoming a Go Green school changes how a school does business each day and increases the work load of the custodial staff. Mr. Dorr embraced the challenge with enthusiasm, grace and an innate understanding of the importance of the cause. His passion and leadership was evident at his schools, but was also a model for other custodians throughout Union School District. The students now expect to reduce, reuse and recycle each day. They remind each other of the importance of caring about the planet and that each one of us must take responsibility to care for and maintain our environment. Our students will grow up and take care of the world we live in because of role models like Mr. Dorr.

Green Star Outstanding Teacher:

Theo Hartman accepts his award.Using a small grant, plenty of creative reuse methods, a strong imagination and a great deal of elbow grease, social studies teacher Theo Hartman created a two-acre, Bay-Friendly certified, organic vegetable and native plant garden on Hayward High's campus. The garden has become the focal point of the school's quickly emerging environmental programming which includes a PG&E Solar Schools grant, and a new Green California Partnership Academy designed to prepare students for the green jobs of the future. This campus gem includes deer-fenced organic produce and fruit trees, a storage shed with a seed library, and an outdoor classroom. Native plants provide habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and other critters indicative of a healthy ecosystem. Produce grown in the garden is sent home with students to become part of the family dinner. The garden has even become an after-practice snack bar for many of the high school’s athletes!

Mr. Hartman has worked hard to train teachers on campus to integrate the garden and studies of nature into their curricula. Today, teachers from virtually every department and after school program participate in sustainable agriculture and landscaping practices.

Sponsors

Platinum Level

Silver Level

Networking Reception

Friends of BASEC

Green Team

Children’s Discovery Museum of San José

Middlebrook Gardens Nursery

Oakland Zoo

The California Native Garden Foundation

The Tech Museum of Innovation

Yamagami Nursery

Conference

• Conference
• 2012 Conference Report
• 2011 Conference Report
• 2010 Conference Report