Greening Goddard High School A long term project to ensure - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Greening Goddard High School

A long term project to ensure environmentally literate high school graduates

Greening our School History

• 1997 to present---Recycling Project—ecology students collect paper,

plastic bottles and aluminum cans throughout district. Average 30 tons of paper, 1000 pounds of aluminum cans and over 60,000 plastic bottles.

• 1997 OWLS space established when GHS was being built

– Includes drainage pond, ditch – 3.2 acres of land – 1.7 acres of water (~1.52 million gallons)

2003 OWLS area certified 2009-2011 OWLS area renovated

• 2009 KS Environmental Educators of the Year Award
• 2010 Kansas Green School of the Year
• 2011 Winner of President’s Environmental Youth Award
• 2011 national winner of Project Earth.net earth day event

Recycling Project

KS Waste Management Grant through KS Green Schools financed recycling bins and fishing line recycling bin

Ecology Class – board of regents science

credit to graduate and attend college

GHS OWLS area

Then: Now:

2008 KS Green Schools Grant

• Pond aeration system to improve water

quality

Advantages of Pond Aeration

• Reduce the level of bacteria

and algae

• Diminish odor
• Adds oxygen
• Circulate water
• Improves fish health
• Reduces Threat of West Nile

Virus

• Eliminates the use of

chemicals to accomplish same result

Advantages of Using Wind

• Windmills do not

require electricity to

• perate them
• Windmills are extremely

reliable and long lasting

• Windmills are cost

effective

Before-

• eutropication

After--

• Clear pond
• Open sections of water in

both winter and summer for aquatic fowl use

Celebrate Earth Event

• Ecology and Biology

student’s ultimate semester project

• Over 500 4th-6th graders

attend annually

http://www.kmuw.org/index.php/news/god dard_high_school_celebrates_earth_day/

Denise & Marylee at Earth Partnership for Schools sponsored by Dyck Arboretum

June 2009

Networking with local resources BSA Eagle Project – repair fencing

Networking with fellow teachers Art in the Prairie Project

Theater Dept – Earth Day Play

Networking with other organizations

Libby Albers with The WATER Center Roots & Shoots – Sedgwick Co Zoo Power Town & School Programs– Westar Energy

Planting trees in OWLS

Establishing interpretive gardens

Building Leopold Benches

Installing purple martin houses

Aquatic Studies at the dock

Empowering Students

Annual Control Burn prep tall grass area

Planting Day for Interpretive Gardens

Two Years Later (and lots of weeding) …..our interpretive gardens flourish

Each Spring has new growth

Certifications…

• KS OWLS
• Monarch Butterfly

Way Station

• National Wildlife Federation

Wildlife Habitat

• NWF Eco School Silver award school

Funding Opportunities

• Received the original OWLS grant 2001 from KS

Wildlife and Parks

• OWLS improvement grant in 2003 and area

certified

• KS Greens Schools grant 2008 to add windmill

pond aeration system

• 2009 – OWLS renovation grant from KS Wildlife

and Parks, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant and Credit Union of America’s TGIF grant

Kansas Green Schools Grants

• Air Quality Grant –

windmill pond aeration system--$4,500

• Waste Management Grant

– recycle bins--$3,500

• OWLS (outdoor wildlife learning site) start up

funds and renovation grants available

• 2001—received initial grant $2,000
• 2003—received improvement grant $1,000
• 2009—received renovation grant $1,000

TGIF Grant

• $500 TGIF grant from Credit Union of

America to build more Leopold Benches

• Any member of the credit union can

apply

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant Received $5,000 Additional materials for all projects:

• Sand, cement
• Native limestone boarder rock
• Leopold bench hardware
• Gardening tools
• Interpretive signage
• Floating dock system

Using the O.W.L.S. ...

Special Events at GHS OWLS

• Celebrate Earth event each

April past 3 years

– facilitated by the GHS ecology and biology students – 500 4th-6th graders in the Goddard School District #265

• Earhart Environmental Magnet

visits the site

– Ecology students facilitate aquatic studies activities

• Art in the Prairie Project

dedication

No Child Left Inside

LINKS

• Earth Day on Public Radio

http://www.kmuw.org/index.php/news/goddard_high_sc hool_celebrates_earth_day/

• Kansas Green Schools-GHS and EHS

http://www.kansasgreenschools.org/

• Monarch Watch http://monarchwatch.org/
• Eco Schools http://www.nwf.org/Global-

Warming/School-Solutions/Eco-Schools-USA.aspx

• OWLS

http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Other- Services/Education/Outdoor-Wildlife-Learning- Sites/OWLS-Information

• Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant

http://www.toolboxforeducation.com/hta.html

LINKS:

Earth Day on Public Radio

• http://www.kmuw.org/index.php/news/goddard_high_scho
• l_celebrates_earth_day/

Early pictures/species lists

• http://www.ghsowls.netfirms.com/

Kansas Green Schools

• http://www.kansasgreenschools.org/green-schools/ghs-

roaring-recyclers

• Monarch Watch http://monarchwatch.org/
• Eco Schools http://www.nwf.org/Global-Warming/School-

Solutions/Eco-Schools-USA.aspx

• OWLS http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Other-

Services/Education/Outdoor-Wildlife-Learning- Sites/OWLS-Information