Staying Green

Picking up the slack

The federal government’s Green Ribbon Schools program has ended under the Trump Administration, but several states continue to honor schools’ green accomplishments with their own programs.

In February, the California Green Ribbon Schools awards were bestowed on 26 schools, 12 school districts and one county education office. Of those recipients, five—two school districts, two public schools and one private school—were singled out as “Green Achievers” for their efforts in resource conservation, health promotion and environmental literacy:

• Captain Leland F. Norton Elementary School in San Bernardino stands out for its innovative, hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics curriculum and its commitment to fostering environmentally literate, community-minded leaders. Through project-based learning, energy conservation initiatives, recycling, water-saving practices, and wellness-focused programs, Norton instills a culture of responsibility, health, and environmental awareness that extends beyond the classroom. By integrating sustainability into daily operations, student learning, and community engagement, the school not only equips students with the knowledge and skills to protect and improve their environment but also ensures long-term, meaningful impact on the school and its surrounding community.
• Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School in Moraga integrates sustainability across academics, operations, and community engagement. The school provides hands-on, place-based learning—from creek restorations to biodiversity monitoring and waste-reduction campaigns—while engaging students as active environmental leaders. Sustainability is embedded through outdoor classrooms, edible gardens, renewable-energy projects, and civic engagement programs. Students gain practical knowledge in energy, climate, and ecological systems while participating in service projects that strengthen community resilience and environmental stewardship.
• The National School District in San Diego County exemplifies how high-impact sustainability can thrive in high-need communities. Over the past decade, the district has achieved measurable gains—including over 1 million gallons of annual water savings; 1,000-plus tons of waste diverted; a 13% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; and improved energy efficiency. Its partnerships with organizations such as Rady Children’s Hospital, Olivewood Gardens, Ocean Connectors, and Tree San Diego engage families and the community to embed sustainability into daily life. Its multi-year strategy integrates resource conservation, health, and environmental literacy into operations and curricula to prepare students as future environmental leaders
• The Ravenswood City School District uses sustainability as a tool for health, resilience, and opportunity despite limited funding and staffing challenges. Through a decade-long facilities master plan and more than $250 million in modernization investments, Ravenswood has electrified campuses; expanded solar energy; reduced water use; planted over 1,300 trees; improved air quality; and created green schoolyards and outdoor learning spaces that integrate environmental literacy into daily instruction. These initiatives position Ravenswood as a model for long-term, equitable, and climate-resilient transformation in an under-resourced school district.
• Lycée Français de San Francisco in San Francisco has integrated sustainability into its identity, curriculum, and operations since the 1960s by blending French educational values with Northern California’s rich ecosystems. Students engage in hands-on learning experiences that explore ecology; science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM); biodiversity; wellness; and climate citizenship across urban, coastal, and bayside settings. Students learn to view sustainability as both a scientific and civic responsibility. The Lycée sustains long-term impact through investments in renewable energy, water-wise landscapes, efficient facilities, green transportation, and wellness-centered design.

In Wisconsin, the Department of Public Instruction began its own green schools recognition program last year to fill the gap left by the end of the federal program.

"After more than a decade of celebrating school leadership in sustainability, it’s disappointing that the current administration shut down the federal Green Ribbon Schools program,” State Superintendent Jill Underly said. “Wisconsin isn’t standing still. We’re proud to launch our own recognition to honor schools doing the real work."

Two schools—Mahone Middle School in Kenosha and West De Pere High School in De Pere received the new Stewardship and Sustainability Award.

Mahone MIddle was recognized for the initiatives of its Eco Club, like producing “In a Green Minute” educational videos and leading a two-year campaign to fund and build an outdoor classroom that supports mental health and well-being. The school also encourages public transportation, water conservation, and has created rain gardens.

West De Pere High has reduced greenhouse gas emissions through facility improvements, revamped waste and transportation practices and a holistic approach to indoor building health. Hands-on learning experiences include watershed data collection and recycling drives.

Best of green

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council and the Green Schools National Network have awarded the 2026 Best of Green Schools Awards to 11 recipients.

The awards recognize schools, districts, organizations, or individuals for advancing environmental stewardship, creating healthy learning environments, and promoting education for a sustainable future.

School System: Bellingham (Washington) Public Schools. The district has leveraged local experts and national networks to prioritize sustainability in a systematic way that encompasses everything from building standards to procurement procedures to climate curriculum. Bellingham is one of the only school districts in the nation to monitor both indoor and outdoor air quality in preparation for wildfire smoke events.

School System: The School District of Philadelphia. The district has built a coordinated approach to sustainability through long-standing partnerships and collaboration among operations, academics, and community organizations. Guided by GreenFutures, the district’s sustainability plan, the work supports progress in energy and resiliency planning, greenscapes and outdoor learning, waste reduction, health and indoor environmental quality, and student leadership that connects classroom learning with system-level priorities. The district shares its practices at the annual Summit for Sustainable Schools, publishing resources and collaborating with local and national partners so that other school systems can learn from what they have put into action.

K-12 Educator: Laure Grove. Under Grove’s leadership as the lead environmental stewardship educator in Burke, Va., Terra Centre Elementary received consecutive Eco-Schools U.S. Green Flag Awards and launched a student-led monarch project that influenced Fairfax County to adopt the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge and establish countywide pollinator and sustainability initiatives. Through audits, advocacy and community partnerships, Grove empowers students to build sustainability knowledge, leadership skills, and meaningful community impact.

Policy Maker: Tammy Murphy, former First Lady of New Jersey. Murphy is being recognized for her role in establishing the Office of Climate Change Education. Through this office, the state supports the implementation of climate change education across all K-12 learning standards, including all content areas and starting in elementary school. Because of her leadership on this initiative, New Jersey ensures that students are prepared across multiple content areas and understand how and why climate change occurs and its impacts.

K-12 School: Berwyn Heights Elementary School, Berwyn Heights, Maryland. The school has sustainability embedded its culture and curriculum. Berwyn Heights received a 2025 Green Ribbon School state honor, has been awarded Sustainable Bronze Status from the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, and, for the 18th consecutive year, has maintained its status as a Maryland Green School. The school has a longstanding commitment to reducing its environmental footprint through energy efficiency, student-led sustainability and conservation efforts, and outdoor spaces that support health and wellness.

Ambassador: Robin Sidman. As the founder and executive director of Project Green Schools, Sidman has built one of the nation’s leading organizations dedicated to developing the next generation of environmental leaders, engaging over 500,000 students across more than 6,500 schools worldwide. Through innovative programs like the National Green Schools Society and the National Youth Council, she has empowered students to design and lead sustainability projects, influence policy, and deliver measurable environmental impact in their communities. By bridging grassroots student action with national and international policy engagement, Sidman has created a scalable model for youth-led climate leadership.

Student Leader: Kayla Ling. Kayla, a high school student in San Mateo, California, is a winner of the National Geographic Slingshot Challenge, co-lead of the Nueva Environmental Club, co-lead of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby San Mateo County Youth Group, and co-host of the CEC Student Film Fest. Her goal is to help lead a cultural, economic, and political shift toward environmental justice.

Business Leader: MCN Build. The company is an award-winning general contractor founded in Washington, D.C., that delivers resilient, high-performance facilities. MCN Build specializes in transformative projects that foster economic and environmental sustainability, with a special focus on K-12 education. The firm is a signatory to the Contractor's Commitment to Sustainable Building Practices and champion sustainability across all projects and internal operations. Its K-12 educational portfolio includes three net-zero energy schools, 43 LEED-certified schools, and three WELL-certified projects. Ongoing MCN projects are targeting two LEED Platinum, 24 LEED Gold, and 3 net-zero energy projects.

School District Champion: Aaron Presberg. Presberg has spent the last decade spearheading the energy and sustainability program at Portland (Oregon) Public Schools. His work has included upgrading over 100 buildings to LED lighting, passing the district's first climate crisis response policy, carrying out the district's decarbonization roadmap, and helping to design and build the district’s first all-electric schools. His work has yielded $5 million in energy efficiency incentives and millions of dollars in annual utility savings for the Portland district.

Moment for the Movement: Seal of Climate Literacy: Established in 2024 by the Colorado legislature, the Seal of Climate Literacy is a high school diploma endorsement that students earn by demonstrating an understanding of climate literacy principles and completing an experiential learning project. Nearly 2,000 Colorado students will have attained the endorsement by May 2026. The seal is expected to be established next year in five other states: Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, California, and Oregon. The Seal of Climate Literacy was founded by Lyra Colorado, a non-profit organization dedicated to incubating and accelerating high-impact initiatives that tackle some of the biggest challenges facing education. Now, the Seal is shared by a growing coalition of community-led climate and environmental partners who see it as advancing their missions to build a climate-educated society.

Michelle Curreri Collaborator Award: Show-Me Green Schools: Show-Me Green Schools is a Missouri program that provides one-on-one mentoring and free professional development to teachers and school staff who are taking on sustainability projects throughout Missouri and southern Illinois. Over 250 schools have participated in a Show-Me Green Schools program, and over 150 mentors from sustainability fields have connected with schools to support student sustainability projects.