Worrall Elementary School
Broomall, Pennsylvania
Green in Action Award Winner
Broomall is a suburb of Philadelphia. Its enrollment is currently 352 students.
National Green Week was the culmination of a yearlong initiative at Worrall to promote environmental awareness among students and faculty. A “green team” was formed early in the school year to plan activities to enhance the environmental science curriculum. The school adopted the slogan, “get Your Green On” as the theme for the coming school year. They key goals were to reduce the amount of trash, to implement a school-wide recycling program and to educate the ‘green generation” on environmental stewardship and responsibility.
Worrall’s green efforts actually date to the establishment of its “garden Discovery”. The garden is a collection of flowers and plant life, which serves as an outdoor classroom for all students and supplements the school’s standards-based curriculum. Students enjoy the experience of hands-on learning and discovery and their environmental learning many times begins in the garden. The school year started with the announcement that the garden has won the prestigious Community Greening Award from the Philadelphia Horticultural Society,. The award included visits by guest educators from a local environmental center to teach recycling and other environmental lessons. Worrall students were not officially appointed the ‘green keepers’ of the school.
Throughout the fall, environmentally friendly water bottles were sold to reduce the volume of disposable plastic. Recycling bins were put in every classroom and strategically placed around the hallways, labeled for bottles and cans. Green recycling bins were placed in the cafeteria for recycling Capri Sun drink pouches, bottles, caps and plastic rings. The following measures were also implemented to further encourage environmental awareness and responsibility.
- The Tuesday Tip to “get your green on” was given during the morning announcements by 3rd and 4th graders.
- A paper retriever bin was placed outside. Fifth grade “recycle rangers” emptied the classroom recycling bins twice each week and deposited the materials in the outside bin.
- Worrall’s web site debuted the “Green Scene” family newsletter
- Waste-free Wednesdays were introduced once a month• Worrall’s “green wall” was unveiled as a news center fir green information and also to spotlight green artwork by students
We are making a difference!