2011 Green Schools and Colleges Leadership Award Winners Announced

PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Green California Schools and Community Colleges Summits, being held concurrently at the Pasadena Convention Center October 17-18, have announced their 2011 Leadership Award Recipients. The awards will be presented at a Summit reception on October 17.

The summits comprise the nation's most significant K-14 event focused on building, running and teaching in high performance classrooms and campuses. Featured speakers on October 16 include Carl Pope, Chairman of the Sierra Club and Co-Founder of the Blue Green Alliance; and Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The Leadership Awards honor outstanding accomplishments in sustainability. The awards ceremony will also include a special award by student ambassadors from the Green Youth Movement to Senator Fran Pavley, author of legislation that led to the creation of the new statewide Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI). California Secretary for Environmental Protection Matt Rodriguez will also participate.

Green Community College Leadership Award Winners

Instructor Award: Professor John Frala
Professor John Frala teaches Advanced Transportation Technologies and Energy at Rio Hondo College in Whittier, California. A leader in Alternative Fuels Education, he has brought the need for change in energy usage to public attention through his education seminars.

District Award: The Pasadena Area Community College District
The Pasadena Area Community College District is recognized for its wide-ranging sustainability initiatives. Long before "going green" became popular, PCC began to install energy-saving equipment; the District is now among the system leaders in energy and water efficiency and renewable energy.

Pioneer Award: Michael Miller
Butte College in Paradise, California, is the first college campus in the nation to go completely "grid positive." Behind the Butte Glenn Community College District's innovative green building, energy efficiency and renewable energy programs is Michael Miller, whose dedication to sustainability has inspired colleagues throughout the state.

Energy Award:  Chabot-Las Positas Community College District
As a signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District pledged to work towards making its campuses carbon neutral. A Climate Action Plan was developed establishing sustainability goals of using renewable energy and energy efficiency. Meeting these goals has led to significant reductions of the District's carbon footprint and operating costs.

Curriculum Award:  RichmondBUILD and Contra Costa Community College
The RichmondBUILD Green Jobs Training Academy was first developed in 2007 to create employment and career opportunities in Richmond and the greater Bay Area. A strong partnership with Contra Costa College improved curriculum delivery. To date, RichmondBUILD graduates have a 90 percent job placement rate.

Green Schools Leadership Award Winners

Teacher Award: Benjamin Kay
Benjamin Kay, a marine scientist and Marine Biology teacher at Santa Monica High School and Santa Monica College, has dedicated his life to teaching his students about aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and the human-caused impacts that threaten their fragile existence. His courses integrate rigorous curricula with inquiry-based methods, hands-on labs, field trips and expert guest speakers.

School District Award: Oak Park Unified School District
The Oak Park Unified School District is recognized for its ongoing efforts to serve as a community leader in the areas of environmental awareness and sensitivity. In addition to incorporating environmental education into its instructional program, the District is working to serve as an example for its students and community by greening its campuses.

Green Campus Award: The Aveson School of Leaders
The Aveson School of Leaders in Altadena is a new elementary charter school with a culinary theme. When state budget cuts undermined the culinary charter, Aveson's staff and parent volunteers formed multiple action teams to help support the school. Working with WasteLess Living, Aveson's students diverted 88 percent of the school's organic waste stream within the first week of launching its organic recycling program.

Energy Award: The Antelope Valley Union High School District
The Antelope Valley Union High School District has one of the largest solar power installations in the U.S., expected to save the District $40 million in energy costs over the next 20 years and provide about 85 percent of the District's electricity needs. Energy-saving measures have been incorporated into all its new and existing facilities.

Curriculum Award: The Edible Schoolyard Project
The Edible Schoolyard Project's mission is to transform the health and values of every student by building and sharing a food curriculum for the school system. Since its establishment by pioneering chef Alice Waters and her Chez Panisse Foundation in 1996, the Edible Schoolyard Project has become an internationally recognized model for educators, parents and students alike on how to effectively integrate food systems concepts into the core curriculum.

The Summits include full education programs and a K-12 Curriculum Institute focused on the EEI materials. For more information about the Leadership Awards, or to register for the Summit, go to www.green-technology.org or call 626-577-5700.

CONTACT: Racquel Palmese, +1-626-577-5700 ext 136, [email protected]

SOURCE Green Technology