Hawaii Boasts Two Green Ribbon Schools!

Posted On: May 02, 12

On April 23, U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan named 78 schools as the first-ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools. Two Hawaii schools were on this list: Ewa Makai Middle School and Hawaii Preparatory Academy.

The 78 awarded schools were named winners from among nearly 100 nominees submitted by 30 state education agencies, the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Education. More than 350 schools completed applications to their state education agencies. Among the list of winners are 66 public schools, including 8 charters, and 12 private schools. In total, the schools are composed of 43 elementary, 31 middle and 26 high schools with around 50 percent representing high poverty schools.

Last week, Kokua Hawaii Foundation co-founder Jack Johnson surprised the students, teachers and staff of Ewa Makai Middle School with a concert at an all-school assembly to announce the news. Paula Fuga, who attended Ewa Elementary, joined Jack on stage for a few songs. Following the concert, Jack, his wife Kim, and other Kokua Hawaii Foundation staff, went on a student-led tour of the school and got a chance to see their LEED Certified Gold campus, recycling program, vermicomposting pipeline used for the school cafeteriaʻs excess food waste, organic gardens, butterfly atrium, aquaponics and hydroponics systems, and much more! Ewa Makai Middle school has participated in Kokua Hawaii Foundationʻs 3Rʻs School Recycling Program, Kokua Earth Action Program and received KHF Environmental Education Mini-Grants.
The U.S. Department of Education’s “Green Ribbons” are one-year recognition awards. Next year’s competition will open in summer 2012.