(Madison, WI) – The U.S. Department of Education has released the names of the 2023 Green Ribbon Schools. The Green Ribbon Schools Award began in 2011 to highlight schools for reducing their environmental impact, improving health and wellness, and offering environmental and sustainability education opportunities. Six Wisconsin schools are among 41 selected honorees and have participated with the Focus on Energy program.
"Focus on Energy is proud to support Wisconsin schools in creating healthy and efficient facilities," commented Heather Feigum, Program Manager. "When schools practice environmental education in the classroom, those sustainability actions can go beyond those four walls leading to positive change both at home and in their local communities."
2023 Green Ribbon School recipients include:
Eagleville Elementary Charter School in Mukwonago Area School District has been working with Focus on Energy since 2016. The District has actively pursued LED lighting upgrades in addition to heating and cooling-related projects. The District has received more than $113,000 in financial incentives for completing these energy efficiency projects and saves close to $129,500 annually on its energy bills.
"Eagleville Elementary Charter School is honored to be a 2023 Department of Education Green Ribbon School," said Colleen Hoyne, Principal at Eagleville Elementary. "Our students, staff, and families have worked hard to build environmental literacy, promote health and wellness, and reduce our environmental impacts. Our school is focused on spreading community awareness through events like Parent Creek Day and our Maker Fair, promoting no-idling policies, and encouraging reducing single-use plastics in our school lunches. The students are involved in green clubs, planting our sensory garden, and engaged in environmentally themed literacy activities."
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville (UW-Platteville) has been proactive in sustainability and completed several large-scale energy efficiency projects. In 2021, UW-Platteville was awarded an Energy Innovation Planning grant to develop a comprehensive energy plan to reduce energy costs, build resiliency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, UW-Platteville recently built a new engineering facility, Sesquicentennial Hall, which is used as a teaching tool for sustainable and renewable energy systems programs. UW-Platteville is also active in Focus on Energy's Strategic Energy Management Program.
"We are proud to be recognized through the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools designation," responded Chancellor Tammy Evetovich. "This award reaffirms our commitment to creating a culture of sustainability at UW-Platteville. It is a testament to the collective efforts of many faculty, staff, and students across campus and external partners like Focus on Energy. We look forward to continuing our work to advance sustainability at UW-Platteville."
