Horizon Foundation Inc. Supports Mercer County Sustainability Effort in Local Schools

By Jessica Brown
TRENTON, NJ. March 24, 2014 n New Jersey Audubon and National Wildlife Federation (NWF) are proud to announce the receipt of a $10,000 grant from Horizon Foundation Inc. to strengthen the growing network of Eco-Schools in Mercer County. NWF’s Eco-Schools USA program provides resources and support to schools working towards sustainability and helps schools improve academic performance, save money and conserve resources.
Horizon Foundation’s partnership with NWF’s Eco-Schools USA is aligned with the foundation’s mission to support non-profit organizations that strive to create and maintain sustainable, vibrant, and resilient communities by, among other things, educating citizens to be good stewards of the environment, promoting visual arts and music, and enabling children and adults to lead their communities in creative, healthy, and thoughtful ways. Funds from the Horizon Foundation grant are being used in part to fund a New Jersey Eco-Schools USA outreach position in the state to be an “on the ground” resource for schools to advance sustainability initiatives. The grant also supports a series of professional learning opportunities for teachers and administrators focusing on how schools can incorporate sustainability into school curriculum and how art can be used to facilitate that process.
NWF’s Eco-Schools USA is a holistic program that provides a framework to help educators integrate sustainable principles throughout their schools and curricula. This free and voluntary program helps schools make connections across multiple disciplines and engage children in authentic learning experiences that result in increased student achievement and a positive impact on the environment. Eco-Schools is an international program in 59 countries. The program is hosted by the National Wildlife Federation in the United States, and coordinated by New Jersey Audubon in New Jersey. In just one year, the program has grown from 43 to 112 schools in New Jersey with 13 in Mercer County. Eco-Schools USA in New Jersey supports and directly aligns with Sustainable Jersey for Schools point-based system.
Jennifer Dowd, Eco-Schools NJ coordinator, New Jersey Audubon says, “Thanks to the grant from Horizon Foundation, we are training and mentoring teachers as they work through the Eco-Schools USA program and nurturing a growing network of teachers to encourage peer learning, all with no cost to the schools. With educators and administrators facing the challenge of tight school budgets, this free support is much needed and welcomed by our school communities. We are also working to further expand the program by building new partnerships with businesses, conservation, and education organizations.”
Curtis Fisher, northeast regional executive director, National Wildlife Federation says, “The National Wildlife Federation is excited to grow the Eco-Schools USA program in Mercer County and is grateful to Horizon Foundation for this generous donation. This grant will allow us to have a greater impact on student learning in Mercer County by getting students excited about science, math, and art and demonstrating how they can use these skills to make their schools better places to learn and their world a better place to live.”
Students who are exposed to programs such as Eco-Schools USA that incorporate good STEM education see the world in a holistic way, gain skills in the process of inquiry, and become better problem-solvers and inventors who can utilize their knowledge of math, science and technology to design and engineer innovative solutions.
Once registered, Eco-Schools can earn awards that recognize their progress towards sustainability pathways laid out by the program such as energy conservation, water conservation, reducing consumption and waste and climate change education. The prestigious Green Flag award is the highest award given and can be claimed by less than 20 schools in the nation with three of them in NJ and one in Mercer County. NJ Green Flag recipients include Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Lawrenceville, Alder Ave Middle School in Egg Harbor Township, and Unity Charter School in Morris Township.
Mercer County Eco-Schools include, Benjamin Franklin Elementary School (Green Flag Certified), Princeton Junior School (Bronze Award), Hamilton High West, Millstone River Elementary School, Pennington Montessori School, Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart, Princeton Day School, Princeton Friends School, Princeton High School, St. Gregory the Great, Stuart Country Day School, Village Elementary School, and Waldorf School of Princeton.
For more information: www.eco-schoolsusa.org
About National Wildlife Federation:
National Wildlife Federation is America’s largest conservation organization inspiring people to protect wildlife for our children’s future. NWF focuses its education and policy work on connecting children to nature for a nation of happier, healthier kids. NWF’s state affiliate is NJ Audubon. For more information: www.nwf.org.
About NJ Audubon:
The New Jersey Audubon Society is a privately supported, not-for profit, statewide membership organization that fosters environmental awareness and a conservation ethic among New Jersey’s citizens; protects New Jersey’s birds, mammals, other animals, and plants, especially endangered and threatened species; and promotes preservation of New Jersey’s valuable natural habitats. For more information: www.njaudubon.org.
About Horizon Foundation
Horizon Foundation was founded in 1997 and believes that thoughtful, creative and sustained education will significantly influence the lives of children and the communities in which they live. For more information: www.horizonfoundation.org