The Piedmont Triad Chapter of the United States Green Building Council presented a $500 USGBC Piedmont Triad Green School grant Monday, September 24 to Blessed Sacrament School’s 7th grade AYLA (Alamance Youth Leadership Academy) students.
Through discussion and problem solving strategies the students and their advisors set goals and prepared an “Operation Green” sustainability action plan for recycling and improved air quality in classrooms.
Through “Operation Green Awareness” BSS AYLA students will learn about the purpose of recycling and what happens to the recyclables. The student leadership team will help to create a “Green Awareness” throughout the school by posters and bulletin boards. The student body, directed by the student leadership team, will consciously notice the contents of the school garbage and decide if what is thrown away can actually be recycled. A collection schedule and transportation plan will be developed. Receptacles will be placed in all classrooms and monitored for use by the Green Leadership Team.
“Operation Clean Air” will educate students about the filtration of the window air conditioning units as well as the negative effects of dust and pollutants on the human body. They will develop a maintenance schedule that can be accomplished by students and staff.
AYLA is a leadership program of the Alamance County Chamber of Commerce that currently serves students in private and public middle schools. The goal of Alamance Youth Leadership Academy is to empower youth through the connection of civic engagement and leadership development for a greater Alamance County. The USGBC is a diverse group of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofits, teachers and students, lawmakers and citizens. Today there are 79 chapters, 14,000 member organizations and 162,000 LEED professionals that share the same vision of a sustainable built environment for all within the next generation. For additional information on the USGBC visit their website.
Through the training provided by the Alamance County Youth Leadership Program, Blessed Sacrament School is committed to the projects outlined above for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years,” said Janet Vorp, BSS’ Language Arts teacher and AYLA Advisor. “We expect the projects to be successful and effective. We plan to make Operation Green / Clean Air a way of life at Blessed Sacrament School, thereby preserving our environment, and creating a healthy learning atmosphere for all students and faculty for years to come.”
Blessed Sacrament School, established in 1935 in Burlington NC, is a fully accredited Catholic School twice recognized as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence serving students in grades Pre-K (age 3) through 8th. It is our mission to provide a Christian community for all faiths with faculty dedicated to providing a positive learning environment promoting personal responsibility and academic growth. At Blessed Sacrament School each child is inspired to do their personal best. For more information visit www.bssknights.org or contact Tara Hackman at 336.570.0019 or thackman@bssknights.org.