Green Schools Fellows
In an effort to effectively and rapidly transform the environments in which our children learn, USGBC has launched the Center for Green Schools Fellowship Program, which began placing full-time sustainability officers in school districts across the country in July 2011.
What is the Green Schools Fellowship Program?
The Center for Green Schools Fellowship Program is a unique initiative that provides partner school districts with a fully-funded, dedicated expert who collaborates with district leadership to bring sustainable and environmentally responsible practices into schools. The Fellows provide clear direction, comprehensive training and valuable resources to demonstrate how these initiatives can save money and resources, while creating healthier learning environments for students, staff and faculty.
Hired for a three-year term, the Fellows work to initiate and/or accelerate various initiatives within districts, such as monitoring energy usage and decreasing consumption by educating staff and students, disseminating environmental curriculum resources, establishing indoor air quality policies and practices, revising maintenance and transportation contracts and improving recycling, school garden and composting programs.
The Fellowship Program launched in 2008 through a pilot program in the Katrina-stricken Recovery School District in New Orleans. USGBC saw the profound impact and value of having a sustainability champion providing on-the-ground support and expertise needed to rebuild the community’s devastated school infrastructure. Led and supported by USGBC’s New Orleans Green Building Coordinator, the district has fully embraced environmentally sound practices: 20 LEED®-certified or registered schools are now open or under construction and tremendous improvements have been made to facility operations and maintenance practices.
Each three-year commitment has the potential to positively and permanently transform the policies, practices and culture across an entire school district. The Center for Green Schools is working to establish sustainability officers in school districts throughout the country.
Timeline
- January - Funding commitments due to support Fellows
- January - Selected school districts notified
- February - April - Fellowship application period
- May - Green Schools Fellows selected and notified
- June - School Sustainability Leaders Summit and Fellowship Training
- July - Fellows begin work in school districts
The 2011 Center for Green Schools UTC Fellows
Congratulations to Phoebe Beierle and Farah McDill!
Meet the Fellows Program Mentors:
Bonnie Bentzin, Director of Sustainability, GreenerU
Megan Zanella-Litke, University of Richmond, Sustainability Coordinator
John Noel, Kentucky School Boards Association, School Energy Managers Project Coordinator
Randy Britt, Parsons, Director of Sustainability
Evaluation Team:
Lisa Kensler, Auburn University, Assistant Professor EFLT
Cynthia Uline, San Diego State University, Professor and Director of National Center for the 21st Century Schoolhouse
For more information about the Center for Green Schools Fellowship program, please contact: