Three Louisiana schools selected to receive 2017 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools awards were honored in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday (July 19). Mayfair Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, Belle Chasse Academy in Belle Chasse and Louisiana State University’s Campus Sustainability Office were the Louisiana schools presented the awards.
 
The honorees were recognized for reducing their environmental impact, creating healthy learning environments and providing real-world sustainability education that prepares students to succeed in the 21st century.
 
Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education for Management Holly Ham, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Director of Education Louisa Koch, Director of the Campaign for Environmental Literacy James L. Elder, Jr. and Director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council Anisa Heming honored the 2017 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C.
 
Accepting the award for Mayfair Laboratory School in Baton Rouge was Tiffany May, Karla Spears and Paige Laureano. Tammy Milican and Sarah Temple accepted the award for LSU. Traci Nelson accepted the award for Belle Chasse Academy in Belle Chasse.
 
“The Louisiana Department of Education is proud to count Belle Chasse Academy and Mayfair Laboratory School among the nation’s Green Ribbon honorees,” said Louisiana State Superintendent John White. “This award is a reflection of the state’s commitment to fostering healthy and productive learning spaces for all students—present and future—by reducing our impact on the environment and promoting wellness in our schools and communities.”
 
“We are very pleased to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for our efforts to create a more sustainable campus. This honor is a recognition of the hard work that LSU students, faculty and staff have invested in environmental stewardship and sustainability education, as well as operating more efficiently to reduce the carbon footprint of our university,” said Tammy Millican, executive director of LSU Facility & Property Oversight. 
 
The list of all selected schools and districts, as well as their nomination packages, can be found here. More information on the federal recognition award can be found here.  Resources for all schools to move toward the three pillars of the award can be found here.