The U.S. Department of Education announced that Atlanta Public Schools’ Morningside Elementary in Atlanta, GA is among the 2017 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees.
Morningside Elementary was nominated by the Georgia Department of Education by meeting three pillars: reducing environmental costs, improving the health and wellness of students and staff, and providing effective environmental and sustainability education, incorporating STEM, civic skills and green career pathways. Some of Morningside Elementary’s green school initiatives included installing green HVAC system, partnering with Trees Atlanta, utilizing turf fields to conserve water, and school wide recycling and wellness programs.
 
Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black (center) visits Morningside Elementary’s
Seed and Feed Garden. Photo Credit: Morningside Elementary
 
“It is with such pride that Morningside celebrates our award as a 2017 US Department of Education Green Ribbon school,” said Morningside Elementary School Principal Audrey Sofianos. “It is truly an honor to be recognized for our work in reducing environmental impact and costs, improving health and wellness of our students, and providing environmental education that has now become a part of our school culture.”
 
Across the country, 45 schools, nine districts, and nine postsecondary institutions are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.

The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 28 states and the Department of Defense Department of Education Activity. The selectees include 39 public schools, including five magnet schools and one charter school, as well as six nonpublic schools. Forty-four percent of the 2017 honorees serve a disadvantaged student body and 14 percent are rural. The postsecondary honorees include three career and technical and community colleges.
 
This is the second national honor for Morningside.  In September, the school was named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon Award for Academic Excellence recipient. T