|
 |
|
|||
GREEN Community Schools is the MGR Foundation’s approach to implementing and integrating green education to underserved students. GCS creates long-term holistic partnerships between schools; parents; community residents; local institutions; local, regional and national educational; and environmental resources in order to promote environmental awareness and fully integrate sustainable practices in local communities. To accomplish these outcomes, the MGR Foundation partners with selected urban high schools in high-need areas to become the hub of environmental activity and social justice in the lives of their community members. GREEN Community Schools represents the joint vision of the MGR Foundation and life-long environmentalist, Jayni Chase. The MGR Foundation has been working in community development and education since 2001. The MGR Foundation has designed, developed and implemented a wide array of unique programs and services targeting society’s most deserving citizens. Jayni Chase has over 20 years of experience with Green education and environmental community action. She is tirelessly dedicated to providing underserved communities with the tools and resources necessary to create healthy learning environments and greener neighborhoods. The combined experience of Jayni Chase and the MGR Foundation has proven to be a powerful force for positive change.
To accomplish our mission, GREEN Community Schools places a full-time GCS Program Director in the school building for a minimum of 5 years. The GCS Program Director applies four core concepts to facilitate the program: 1. Curriculum Integration: supporting teachers to integrate environmental concepts into existing curriculum and enhancing classroom learning through community, non-profit, corporate, and university partnerships. º Examples include chemistry classes growing algae and converting it to biodiesel; math classes using green industries as models for graphs and equations; civics classes creating timeline of the history and impacts of consumption in the U.S. 2. Out of School Programming: providing after-school programs, internships, jobs, leadership training, environmental advocacy, and experiences in nature for all students, supporting learning in the classroom. º Examples include planting and maintaining organic community gardens; sponsor campus-wide environmental events; student, teacher, and community leadership opportunities and access to regional and national GCS partners. 3. Facility Enhancements: creating sustainable green buildings that serve the needs and desires of the community; º Schools become accessible vibrant green community centers; student-lead energy, air, and other environmental audits; implementation of “first step” environmental remediations; creating a safe and sustainable learning space for students and community members. . 4. Community Engagement: connecting the entire community to the process of school sustainability including parents, local residents, formal and informal community leaders, elected officials, businesses, non-profits, and faith groups. º Community stakeholders help formulate the direction of the program and the areas of sustainability that the community will be invested in. Examples include parent engagement activities, community garden crews, local advisory boards, corporate and non-profit partnerships, and community awareness events. Each GCS Program Director continuously trains teachers, administrators, and community members so that the sustainability concepts become central to the school over the 5 years of the program; ultimately creating a cultural shift towards environmental sustainability. At the completion of the program, the following goals will have been reached: Goal 1: Students understand key environmental concepts and principals. Environmental education is centered around key concepts and principals, including: diversity, natural resource management, sustainability, interdependence, and social action and responsibility. GCS believes that successful environmental education should be implemented across school subjects and be complemented by school-wide policies and opportunities for participation and action. Sample Implementation Methods: Goal 2: Students participate as environmental leaders and active citizens in creating a sustainable future. Environmental education also involves applying the acquired knowledge, understanding, and skills to actively participate in addressing environmental and social concerns. Youth are not only recipients of programming, but are participants in the planning and development of initiatives. By applying a youth-driven approach to all aspects of “greening” the school, GCS provides opportunities for students to identity, evaluate and participate in the action necessary to protect their communities. Sample Implementation Methods: Goal 3: Local, regional, and national partners are engaged in supporting the school community.In order for environmental education to remain a sustainable presence in the school, it must permeate all aspects of the school, including: curriculum, teaching and learning, the built environment, and the school’s relationships with the local community. Community partnerships connect learning to the workplace and to local issues, allowing students to become involved and active learners. Partnerships also help schools get access to resources that would otherwise not be available. Sample Implementation Methods: Goal 4: Schools have access to experiential learning opportunities. Experiential learning is the process of engaging students with the world as they experience it. Experiential learning environments encompass specifically designed learning environments on school grounds (outdoor classrooms, community gardens, etc), the local community, and fieldtrips to surrounding communities. Sample Implementation Methods: Goal 5: Sustainability principals are embedded into school policies. A shared vision and mission supported by the appropriate policies is essential for ensuring that sustainability and community remain central to the school. GCS takes schools through a process of evaluating current policies and developing sustainability plans that make sense for each community’s unique needs and desired outcomes. Central to the GCS model is that decision making be distributed across the school community, incorporating students when appropriate. Sample Implementation Methods: Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment: In 2010, the MGR Foundation made a commitment to bring GREEN Community Schools to 10 schools in 10 cities for a minimum of 5 years, to serve as models for greening America’s schools. Since then, the MGR Foundation has been on track to meet its commitment by implementing GCS in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Las Vegas. |
|||||||||||||||
Copyright 2012 The MGR Foundation |
|||||||||||||||
