Submitted by Sustainable Connections
The first gathering in Whatcom County of K-12 school administrators, teachers, green building professionals, students and parents next month signals the beginning of a growing trend that sees the ‘greening’ of our schools as a way to conserve energy, save money, and improve student’s health and achievement.
The Green Schools Summit, scheduled for June 3, 2014 at Broadway Hall in Bellingham is being coordinated by Sustainable Connections, Cascadia Green Building Council and RE Sources for Sustainable Communities. It includes an impressive line-up of speakers with diverse backgrounds sure to spark creativity and action:
· Riley Grant, Sustainable Schools Manager of RE Sources’ Green Classroom Certification , a free program that provides teachers a meaningful, simple way to integrate conservation education into curriculum and initiate sustainable changes in the classrooms and beyond.
· Stacy Smedley, Executive Director of The Seed Collaborative, a Seattle non-profit committed to creating environmentally restorative learning spaces that educate and inspire children to be the next generation of environmental stewards. The non-profit is based largely on her experience managing the Bertschi School living building in Seattle- the first project in the world to be certified under Living Building Version 2.0 standards- and witnessing the transformational impact it had on its students
· Tim Jewitt, Managing Principal at Dykeman, an architecture firm where his expertise includes a wide range of retail, commercial, public and housing projects with emphasis in the design and construction of educational facilities. Dykeman has recently participated in over 12 education projects in Bothell, Monroe, Snohomish, Everett, and Whatcom Middle School in Bellingham.
The term “green schools” can mean everything from energy-efficiency to school gardens to recycling to healthier options in the lunchroom. “This conference aims to focus on the built environment for our children’s schools and highlight what is happening regionally for creating the most sustainable schools in the world,” notes Rose Lathrop, Green Building and Smart Growth Manager for Sustainable Connections.
“With a focus on individual behavior and collective action, we aim to inspire and empower youth to make positive changes for our community and their lives,” says Riley Grant, RE Sources Sustainable Schools Manager. “We want future generations to understand the problems and solutions necessary to protect our ecosystem and create sustainable communities.”
Students of all ages are welcome to attend as they are the heart of the movement and are often the ones initiating changes. Activities for kids will be provided.
Green Schools Summit will take place on Tuesday, June 3, from 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at Broadway Hall. For more information, visit Sustainable Connections’ website here.
