International Green Schools Day of Service

On September 29, 2012, the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council will host the first ever International Green Schools Day of Service. For one day, green school advocates from across the country and around the world, including USGBC Staff, Chapters and Students, international green building councils, elected officials, teachers, parents, students and more, will come together in support of green schools by taking real action in their communities. On one day, our vast network of champions will demonstrate the strength and breadth of the green schools movement, leaving a meaningful and lasting local impact.

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Join us at an event in the NY Upstate Chapter!

Green Apple Day of Service Projects in Upstate NY

• From Vivian Mandala, Rhinebeck  Host a coffee talk discussing simple ways to help schools become healthier, safer places for our kids to learn and play.
• From Pia Doro, Hutch Tech High School, Buffalo  Students here at Tech will make signs about littering and clean up our neighborhood on September 27.
• From Jeffrey Anthony, USGBC Student Representative at Onondaga Community College, Syracuse: will be demonstrating our mobile solar cart that contains both a PV array and Solar Hot Water Heater. The goal is to show students in very basic terms how we can change the sun's rays into heat or electrical current.

• From Sandra March, Cherry Road Elementary, Syracuse Community wide event to celebrate this cutting edge, sustainable school.  Gannon's Ice Cream will be there with a special flavor in honor of Cherry Road and Green Apple Day of Service! T-shirts for all!

• From Sarah Stewart, Education Committee Chair, GreeningUSA & Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA): GreeningUSA (www.greeningusa.org) will team up with four Syracuse City Schools to host litter cleanups on each school grounds and nearby parks. The GUSA Education Committee will work with teachers and other school staff to bring students on board to help with the cleanups. The benefits will be threefold: (1) To make the area immediately surrounding the schools cleaner and safer; (2) To get students outside; (3) To teach students the importance of not littering by showing them firsthand the trash that accumulates on the school grounds, on the sidewalks and in the parks.  Sarah will mention it in upcoming OCRRA email blast to teachers / environmental club advisors.

• From Sarah O’Shea, Carrier/CCS Green Apple Day Our event will take place on Friday, Sept. 28. It will include an education component on environmental and sustainability topics, and a student gardening activity. Details are being finalized - more to come!  Location:  Seymour Dual Language Academy, Syracuse.

• From Kathleen Eldridge, Tupper Lake Central Schools  Green Team is having a community /district wide gala event on Green Schools Day. This event is a community education effort to teach the parents and community about what the students are learning in school: composting, 350.org, all we are learning at the Summit to green our school and community, and how to reduce our carbon emissions.
• Saturday, 9/29 from 1-3:30 we are hosting "Celebrate Green Schools".  This includes guided field trips to our new school garden, root cellar, compost station, and compost storage bin. We will have an education booth to educate what "350" is all about. Art projects-building compost totems-, face painting, and an education piece about how Green Team came to evolve will take place.  Casella Zero-sort has funded $350 for the purchase of "350" hula hoops to be given to the first 350 students who bring their parents. "350" donated CFL's will be given out. Resources for carbon reduction will be shared. And a Folk/Reggae band will play while the students hula hoop.  This project is totally community funded!
• From Samantha Hinz, LEED Green Associate, USGBC Students President, SU Chapter  On Friday, September 28th, we plan on attending H.W. Smith School in Syracuse. We will be giving them a demonstration on hydroponics (as per the request of the Principal) and also explaining how growing your own food is sustainable. We will be helping the children plant their own plants so that they can watch them grow in the class room. 
• From Mark Bremer, SUNY IT  Three new SUNYIT buildings were designed to LEED Silver standards and are shining examples of green design for the Mohawk Valley region.  As part of Alumni and Wildcat Family Weekend, you are invited to tour the Student Center, Wildcat Field House, and Oriskany Residence Hall and learn about how the sustainable design features of these buildings enhance the health and wellbeing of our campus community.
• From Jennifer Gkourlias, Founding Principal, Young Women’s College Prep Charter School of Rochester  Our school is delighted to partner with TetraTech Architects for the Green Apple Day of Service. Together, the organizations will educate students and families about ways to go green every day in their homes and schools. We will launch the dream green school partnership project this day, as well as form the environmental club at YWCP. YWCP is a new charter school in Rochester, NY that is focused on education young women and encouraging them to break gender stereotypes while excelling in school!