The Green Education Council (GEC) was recently awarded a Youth in Philanthropy grant from the Omaha Community Foundation. The grant will help move the GEC’s Green Schools Program forward by assisting in the purchase of 50 Green School flags and advertising media, as well as the development of the sustainable tool kits.
The overarching goal of the Green Schools Program is to empower students, faculty and administrators to raise water and energy conservation awareness, promote environmentally sustainable practices and realize the potential benefits of a focused green school program. It provides tips and resources to help schools identify opportunities to “green” their buildings and operations.
The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District and Hayes Environmental L.L.C. were the first to pledge their financial support of the Green Schools initiative. Their early encouragement provided the incentive that allowed the GEC to launch the program in 2010. These contributions will help purchase additional flags as more schools engage in the program.
The Youth in Philanthropy Initiative is designed to involve local youth leaders in philanthropy. The program uses an endowed fund established through the Omaha Community Foundation. Each year, the Youth Leadership Ambassadors define the focus of the grant, determine review criteria and select grant recipients. This year’s focus was “Teens Go Green.”
-Wendy Harrison
posted by ktorpy @ 9:03 AM
