The Michigan Green Schools Program supports and celebrates the achievements of PreK-12 schools in protecting the state’s air, land, water and ecosystems through their commitments to environmental education and stewardship actions. For the 2023-2024 school year, 343 schools were designated as Michigan Green Schools. Wow!
By participating in the program, these schools are implementing sustainability initiatives that benefit both their campuses and communities. Two local high schools that are leading the charge and taking action to protect the environment were proud to share some of their achievements.
Fenton High School
FHS Eco Club Advisor, Nicholaus Jeffrey told My City about the school’s involvement in the Michigan Green Schools program.
“FHS is making a lasting impact through its commitment to sustainability and environmental initiatives,” says Jeffrey. “As part of the Michigan Green Schools program, the club focuses on recycling, composting and community beautification efforts that benefit both the school and the wider community.”
A Commitment to Recycling & Beautification
Three years ago, the FHS Eco Club launched a recycling program for returnable plastic and metal drink containers, preventing 300-500 cans and bottles from ending up in landfills each week. “The students see all the recycled bottles in the collection buckets – it’s a lot – and they realize we can make a difference,” adds Jeffrey. The funds raised from these efforts support other initiatives, such as beautifying the medians between FHS and AGS Middle School and assisting with the Fenton Community Garden by moving mulch, installing fences and maintaining the plots.
Earning Green Schools Certification
Beyond recycling, the Eco Club has implemented composting of kitchen greens, organized educational activities for first-graders during Pond Day, and conducted trash pickups both on and off campus. Every FHS student plays a role in these initiatives by using classroom recycling bins, benefiting from motion-sensor lighting, and accessing the digital version of the school newspaper rather than printed copies.
Future Sustainability Goals
Looking ahead, the club aims to partner with conservation organizations across Michigan, acquire a greenhouse for the high school, and expand composting efforts while reducing single-use plastics. “We would like to look into reusable trays and utensils for the lunchroom, but we will need a lot of support from the school and outside assistance to make it happen,” Jeffrey explains.
Impact on Student Awareness & Behavior
The Club’s work has already influenced student behavior, with a noticeable decline in single-use plastic water bottles at school. Their next goal is to eliminate them entirely by providing students with reusable alternatives. Additionally, composting efforts have significantly reduced waste, with the collected compost being used to nourish the Fenton Community Garden. “We are always finding more opportunities for the students to help our community be more green,” says Jeffrey.
With ongoing initiatives and new sustainability goals on the horizon, the FHS Eco Club continues to make a meaningful impact on both students and the environment.
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Earth Day 2025 will be celebrated on April 22!
Davison High School
On March 11, DHS Environmental Science Instructor and Environmental Club Advisor, Pamela Ruggiero, was proud to learn that the school was approved for the Michigan Green Schools “Evergreen” status – the highest level – after completing 20 or more required activities. Established in 2021, the DHS Environmental Club is going strong. “Students of all grades and abilities are welcome to join at any part of the year,” Ruggiero says. “The Club is primarily responsible for many of our Green School qualifying activities.”
Here is a sample of the 23 activities DHS submitted to achieve their MGS status:
– Volunteers from the Environmental Club and the National Honor Society collect paper and plastic/aluminum bottles from the high school and Alternative Education school. Paper goes into a recycling bin; plastic and aluminum cans are sorted by cash value – non-returnables are recycled curbside by Ruggiero.
- Volunteers from Environmental Science classes collect organic waste from all three lunch times and deposit it in an outdoor compost bin. Built by the Construction Trades class, the bin is maintained by the Environmental Club and used for the school’s vegetable garden.
- To reduce waste of perfectly good food, volunteers from the Visual Arts classes have set up a give-and-take table, allowing students to share uneaten items that meet the National School Lunch Program’s requirements for a free lunch.
- The Food Services Department donated and had installed a greenhouse for the Environmental Club to grow (from seed) ingredients for pico-de-gallo to be served on the cafeteria’s nacho/burrito bar – tomatoes, onions, cilantro, peppers. Plans are in the works to expand what is grown for use in the school cafeteria.
- Environmental Science, Visual Arts and Environmental Club students are caretakers of a very large Native Plant Garden created to increase biodiversity. The garden is also located near an outdoor classroom space, so all students can use the space to learn about how the garden helps biodiversity. Students are creating signs describing each of the plants.
- Students in the Construction Trades class built bat houses, an owl box and about a dozen bluebird boxes, all of which are placed around the DHS campus.
- Environmental Science students participate in Flint River GREEN (Global River Environmental Education Network), a citizen science project for middle and high school students. Teachers take students to local streams to test water quality, measuring pH, phosphates, nitrates, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and fecal coliform levels. The collected data is shared with local municipalities, including the Genesee County Drain Commission. This hands-on experience engages students in real-world science aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, while government officials use the data to support water management efforts.
Appropriately, Pamela Ruggiero closed her submission to My City with a Native American proverb: “We have not inherited the Earth from our forefathers, we are borrowing it from our children.”
For more about Michigan Green Schools, visit michigan.gov/egle/public/egle-classroom/michigan-green-schools.
