By Jessica Brown
Three Bridges School was recognized by Eco-Schools USA for exceptional achievement in ‘greening’ physical structure and grounds, conserving natural resources and integrating environmental education into curricula. It is the 4th school so honored in New Jersey and the 39th in the nation to win the Green Flag, Eco-Schools USA’s highest honor.
Eco-Schools is an international program in 60 countries. The program is hosted by the National Wildlife Federation in the United States, and coordinated by New Jersey Audubon in New Jersey. The Eco-Schools USA program which is based on the work of student-driven teams dedicated to issues like recycling and energy conservation using sample materials, background information and teacher advice provided by New Jersey Audubon, claims more than 140 registered schools in New Jersey so far.
“We at National Wildlife Federation and Eco-Schools USA are proud of the example set by Three Bridges for other schools, and the country at large,” said Laura Hickey, Senior Director of Eco-Schools USA. “This award demonstrates not only a commitment to sustainability and environmental literacy for students and faculty, but an appreciation that the best, most effective education transcends the classroom and offers a hands-on approach to learning”
The school was also recognized as a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon school last year, a program that Eco-Schools supports and helped to design. To earn these awards, Three Bridges’s students and faculty tackled a host of sustainability initiatives to raise environmental and natural awareness, cut waste, increase student engagement and save money for the school. A robust recycling program, energy efficiency efforts at the district and student level, green essay contests, vegetable and herb gardens fed by collected rainwater and aquafarms installed in the classrooms are but a few of the projects that make Three Bridges stand out.
Three Bridges principal, Kristen Higgins states “Three Bridges School is committed to educating our students to learn the skills and strategies of becoming responsible citizens who will become stewards of our planet. Though some of our practices have a small impact, they are huge in the pay it forward factor. Once children learn to compost at school, they will become advocates of composting at home and in other arenas such as public food courts. They will also become our voters and lawmakers in the future and will advocate for sustainability practices.”
Jennifer Dowd, Eco-Schools Coordinator with New Jersey Audubon presented the school with the Green Flag at the Board meeting on February 24. “Readington Township schools are really an exemplar for Eco-Schools with Three Bridges School leading the way. They are incorporating sustainability at every level from green themed school concerts, science units on environmental science and facility changes to reduce energy usage. They have rightfully earned Eco-Schools USA’s highest honor.”
