A better world, one school at a time.
Grass roots efforts are where good ideas about environmental
stewardship can really take hold. That's why our Environmental
Education Grant program has contributed more than $208,000 in
grants to students and teachers in Europe, Australia, Canada and
the United States throughout the program's history.
Your school can apply to receive a grant, too.
All grant applicants must be sponsored by an InterfaceFLOR
associate. If you don't know one, give us a call and we'll
introduce ourselves. Call us at 1.877.696.TILE (8453).
2010-11 Environmental Education Grant Winners
Ironmen Go Green
John Reilly RVP in New York sponsored an application from Erin
Judd at Don Bosco Prep School in Ramsey, NJ entitled Ironmen Go
Green. Funds will be used to establish glass and aluminum recycling
on campus, concentrating on classrooms as well as the sporting
venues on campus. The school's Environmental Awareness Club with
its team of 76 will provide the necessary labor.
FREE Solar Project
At Rachel Carson Middle School in Herndon, Virginia, our grant
money was the last piece needed to install a grid-tied photovoltaic
system on the roof of the school. With the system in place, the
school's students will have first-hand experience logging the
production and use of solar power thanks to Peter Dallessandro who
sponsored this application.
Dominguez Watershed Water Quality Project
The Dominguez Watershed Water Quality Project submitted by Mr.
Levi Simons' of Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale, CA
was sponsored by Los Angeles AE, Abby Lenon. The students will
explore how nature, geography and demographics impact water
quality. The funds awarded will provide the equipment necessary for
the students to partner with two local organizations, Heal the Bay
and From Lot to Spot to learn how to test water quality using a
variety of measures.
We Do it for the Earth
Andrea Buitrago of Colombia sponsored an application submitted
by Sinai Chavarria Rojas of Centro Educativo El Cruce, located in
the heart of rural Costa Rica. The school will use the funding to
begin organic composting and plant a school orchard. In addition,
funding will help students gain access to the forest adjacent to
the school grounds where they will explore and record its wonderful
natural beauty.
Where the Wild Things Are
Heard County Elementary School's project entitled Where the Wild
Things Are was submitted by Phyllis Woodson of LaGrange. Tami Steel
will use her grant to teach her kindergartners about forest and sea
animals and their habitats, incorporating social studies, math,
language arts, music and physical education into the lessons.
The Keiki Malama Gardens
In Honolulu, Hawaii, the students in Teresa McDonald's KCAA
Preschool of Hawaii will be equipped to plan, plant and maintain a
vegetable garden at the school which will be called The Keiki
Malama Garden. The goal will be to expand a project which composts
school lunch waste through use of worm bins to give the children
first-hand experience of how they can reap the benefits of a
healthy environment with a bountiful harvest of fruits and
vegetables.
Composting: It's our time to help the
environment
Claude Reynolds at the RCA Plant in West Point sponsored an
application from Tamara Johnston at Long Cane Middle School. Tamara
will use her funds to educate her students on the impact they can
have on waste reduction through composting. Students will provide
the power to accomplish the tasks of gathering, weighing and
sorting waste and transporting it to the compost bins.
Teaching Students Sustainable Skills
At the Castlemont Community Leadership Public School in Oakland,
California, students in Kandle Fraser and Sarah Johnson's Green
Pioneers will learn sustainable skills to change their communities
and the world through, using the Castlemont Community Garden as an
outdoor learning and demonstration space. Funding will provide the
resources to teach such lessons as urban sustainable agriculture,
urban and global food systems, composting and energy source
development. Students will then teach other students and community
members what they have learned. Manny Juarez sponsored this
application.
Environmental Awareness Trip
John Hallagan of Magee Elementary School in Genesee Depot, WI
received funding which will allow his class to spend three days at
the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Mackenzie
Environmental Center where the students will be immersed in
environmental education activities. Sponsor, Steve Jende, has
experienced this enlightening trip as a chaperone in years past
with his own children.
Recycling Gardens
The application from Midway Primary School in Silver Creek,
Georgia was sponsored by Robert Terry Cobb in LaGrange. The grant
will allow the school to plant several vegetable and flower gardens
on campus and use water collected in rain barrels to keep them
watered. By planting and tending the garden, students will
reinforce math, biology, and geography skills. They hope to share
bounty of the garden with a nearby group home for foster
children.
Sew Cool
Steve Roach and Anita Bedore of St. Theresa Catholic Secondary
School in Belleville, Ontario, proposed a project entitled Sew Cool
which was sponsored by Sharrie Lynch in our Canada office. Students
participating in this project will lean the life skill of sewing
and will then use that skill to produce useful objects from
recycled and donated materials. The first project will be to make
reusable lunch and tote bags from collapsible drink containers.
Students will ultimately be responsible for teaching other students
how to sew as well.
Little Green Thumbs
David Gerson was the sponsor for the Little Green Thumbs Project
proposed by Debbie Krauth at White Oak Elementary School in Newnan,
Georgia. With the help of parent volunteers and special education
students, Mrs. Krauth's kindergarten class will prepare a garden
bed which will be a sustainable organic garden. Funding will
provide tools, a rain barrel and a compost bin necessary to create
the garden. This project affords students the chance to be part of
a cooperative effort to create something useful to them and
beneficial to others
