By Jane Seiss

Twelve years ago, The Maryland Green School program was established by the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE).

“Through the program, there have been over 400 Green Schools in Maryland,” said Joanne Schmader, the Green School Program Coordinator. “It’s highly successful and has been growing rapidly over the last few years.”

Almost 40 schools in Anne Arundel County have earned the status and among them are Arnold, Benfield, Severna Park, and Shipley’s Choice Elementary Schools, as well as Broadneck High School. The program is open to private schools as well. In 2009, St. John the Evangelist School was awarded Green School designation, and St. Martin’s in-the-Field became a Green School in 2010.

This June, green status winners for 2011 will receive their awards. “We had 18 new applications in Anne Arundel County this year,” Schmader said.

To earn the official green seal, school will have met requirements in five areas: professional development, curricular integration, best management practices, community engagement, and celebration.

An application and documentation of environmental practices over a period of two years are required. These are submitted in the spring. In June, a ceremony and celebration are held. Every four years, Green Schools re-certify their status by providing documentation of their ongoing environmental practices.

There are many ways schools highlight environmentalism. “At the elementary schools, there’s a lot of focus on solid waste reduction,” Schmader noted. “They extend their recycling to include things that they wouldn’t usually be able to single stream recycle. Items like juice pouches that are collected for TerraCycle.”

In Anne Arundel County, Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center is a Green School and resource to public schools that offers outreach through its Chesapeake Connections program. Its staff trains teachers in special programs like raising terrapins or Bay grasses, assists with schoolyard restorations (popular at middle and high school levels), and other environmental projects.

Severna Park Elementary has been a Green School for more than a decade. Students raise terrapins each year for release in May at Poplar Island. A tank of three terrapins is stationed in the school media center next to Librarian Laurie Levitt’s desk. She has trained with other teachers at the school to oversee the raising of the turtles. “We do lessons with the various classes on what the turtles mean to the Bay,” Levitt said. “Their numbers have decreased over time. The Bay has to be clean for them to survive.” The program is popular. “They’re very engaging,” Levitt stated.

Students at Severna Park have also planted a rain garden, and kindergarten and third graders raise Bay grasses to plant in community beaches. “The students learn about how they filter and help keep the Bay clean,” Levitt explained.

At Arnold Elementary School, students have planted a rain garden using native plants, and also partake in raising terrapins and Bay grasses, recycling, and enjoying outdoor classroom time.

“Schools do absolutely wonderful work with their students - it’s an inspiring program,” added Schmader.

On June 3, MAEOE will host its Green Schools Youth Summit at Sandy Point State Park. The event is free of charge and open to all Maryland schools. It will feature an Environmental Literacy Bazaar.

“Over 50 organizations from all over the state will be there offering hands-on learning stations,” Schmader said.

To learn more about the day and Green Schools, visit www.maeoe.org.