BY JENNIFER DOME
Staff Writer
BRICK — A new program, introduced at seven Brick Township schools in early October, will energize students to go for the “green” — in more ways than one.
Launched at Lake Riviera Middle School on Oct. 7, the Green Schools Program is a nationwide initiative aimed at helping schools find ways to lower their energy costs. Once savings are exacted, the money is returned to the individual schools for reinvestment into the program or in other school programs.
“The benefit of this program is that students become aware of energy, how they use it and how they waste it,” Assistant Superintendent of Schools Walter Hrycenko said.
Within each school, a team made up of administrators, teachers and custodians will work to create curricula and activities that promote energy conservation for its students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“It’s unique to have these people working together,” said Jeff Brown, executive director of the Brielle-based Global Learning Inc., the organization working with the district to implement the program.
Initially, the district’s central administration will determine each participating school’s energy baseline, so that the amount of energy saved can be determined. Schools participating in the Green Schools Program have saved an average of 5 to 15 percent on their energy costs, according to a press release from Global Learning.
Brick Memorial High School, Brick Township High School, Lake Riviera Middle School, Veterans Memorial Middle School, Herbertsville Elementary School, Veterans Memorial Elementary School and the Primary Learning Center will take part in the program, although its implementation will vary from school to school.
“Every school is a little different,” Brick Township High School Assistant Principal William Kennedy said. “Our school, built in 1959, has inherent problems because of the age of the building.”
Kennedy mentioned finding efficiencies when using air conditioning and heating, and caulking drafty windows to save energy. Brick Township High School students will also get the chance to use professional energy equipment supplied by New Jersey Natural Gas.
At Veterans Memorial Middle School, a slide with an energy-saving tip of the week is currently running on the classroom television sets, according to Assistant Principal Paul Walski.
He said the school will also hold a contest to develop a mascot for the program; turn off all the lights in the school at a designated time to recognize daylight savings time next week; and form the “E-Zap Kids,” a group of students that will patrol the hallways after school making sure all the lights and computers are turned off.
“We really want to get everyone involved,” Walski said.
Since 1996, the Alliance to Save Energy, a nonprofit coalition of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders, has successfully deployed the Green Schools Program in over 200 schools and 75 districts across the country, according to Global Learning. Brick Township is the first school district in the state to participate in the program.
“By demonstrating the value of the Green Schools Program for existing school buildings in New Jersey, we will be establishing the foundations for implementing this comprehensive energy conservation program across the state,” Brown said.