500 Grades of Green Eco-Leaders from Local Schools Make Waves

A leader in student-driven environmental change for the past 9 years, nonprofit Grades of Green is launching its most ambitious program yet, the Water Campaign. This year, Grades of Green is working with student groups in 35 cities around the globe to make water protection and advocacy second nature for the next generation of leaders.

Representing the greater Los Angeles area, schools such as Redondo Union High School, Thomas Starr King Middle School, and Our Lady of Guadalupe School have joined the campaign and are innovating sustainable solutions to water issues they have identified in their region. When asked which environmental issue they were most concerned about, water scarcity was the most common answer among Grades of Green Students.

Water Campaign participants work with Grades of Green Mentors, environmental education experts who provide customized support to each student group, throughout the Fall semester to expand their environmental knowledge, hone their leadership skills, and create lasting environmental change. Currently, Student Eco-Leaders in Nairobi, Kenya are investing water quality in their region. Meanwhile, Eco-Leaders in Los Angeles, CA are preparing plastics presentations and Arts Students in Rome, Italy are choreographing a conservation presentation for their community.

According to the United Nations, by 2025, 1.8 billion people are expected to be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population could be under water stress conditions. Through Grades of Green’s Water Campaign, students do their part to protect water in their daily lives and incorporate educational concepts to develop solutions to the water issues they care about.

“From Nairobi to New York City, students are educating their communities about the crucial need to protect our water resources” said Emily Gee, Co-Executive Director. “When kids speak, adults listen, and it’s the ripple effect of local change that will lead to the global-scale impacts needed to address one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time.”

The Water Campaign incorporates Next Generation Science Standards and STEAM/STEM concepts, helping students bring critical thinking skills to hands-on projects and activism in their community. 11th grader and Grades of Green Eco-Leader, Cosmo from Long Beach Polytechnic High School in California, put his eco-leadership training into action and was invited to participate in the United Nations Ocean Heroes Bootcamp as a result of his Zero-Waste Campaign efforts. Incorporating NGSS concepts, Cosmo presented his sustainability solution to a global audience. Cosmo spoke about the single use plastics reduction movement, sharing his experience reducing plastic pollution in his community.

“The environmental challenges facing our industry and our planet are real,” said Tamika Lang, Boeing Global Engagement Senior Manager. “Grades of Green is doing its part to engage students in thinking about solutions and we are proud to partner with them in this cause.” The Boeing Company supports Grades of Green’s commitment to incorporating Next Generation Science Standards in their Campaigns, citing the importance of informed and educated leadership as we usher in an era of corporate sustainability.

Past Eco-Leaders have even helped their city meet Sustainable Development Goals by successfully passing resolutions through local government, such as Daves Ave Elementary and their successful ban on single use plastics in the Los Gatos School District. Local Elected Officials such as California Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi and Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl have even shown their support by sharing the Water Campaign with schools in their district.

The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts have shown a commitment to environmental education by sponsoring Grades of Green’s Water Campaign. “The goal of Grades of Green’s Water Campaign is not only to teach students about their local water resources but also to teach students how to conserve water, recycle and save energy. Educating students through programs such as these furthers our mission of converting waste into resources in the communities we serve,” said Grace Robinson Hyde, Sanitation Districts’ Chief Engineer and General Manager.

Follow along as Grades of Green Student Eco-Leaders make waves in the Water Campaign. Do you know students that want to take action now? While registration is closed for the Water Campaign, Student Eco-Leaders have already begun signing up for our 2019 Waste Reduction Campaign. Nominate three student groups to join Grades of Green’s Waste Campaign by encouraging them to Email info@gradesofgreen.org. Contact Justin Bulova at justinb@gradesofgreen.org for additional pictures, testimonials, or a media kit.

GET INVOLVED! Registration is open for the Waste Campaign beginning in January,
but spots are filling up fast, so take action today!

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: The Boeing Company is the founding sponsor of the
2018 Water Campaign. Thanks to the support of Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles
County, Long Beach Water, Metropolitan Water District, Long Beach Water Department,
LAcarGUY, Kings Care Foundation and Los Angeles Country 3rd District for making the
2018 Water Campaign possible.

ABOUT GRADES OF GREEN: Grades of Green is an environmental education
nonprofit dedicated to providing parents, students and educators with fun, hands-on
activities that inspire and empower students to care for the environment. To implement
sustainability programs, register your school online—at no cost—and gain access to
step-by-step instructions for 40+ Grades of Green Activities, including downloadable
games, resources, artwork, and measures of environmental progress. Every Grades of
Green school receives a one-on-one Grades of Green Advisor to mentor the school as it
implements Grades of Green Activities. Over 500,000 students and 600 schools have
joined our green school movement since 2011.

ABOUT THE SANITATION DISTRICTS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
The Sanitation Districts are a regional agency consisting of 24 independent special
districts serving over 5.5 million people in 78 cities and unincorporated territory within
Los Angeles County. The Sanitation Districts protect public health and the environment
through innovative and cost-effective wastewater and solid waste management, and in
doing so convert waste into resources such as recycled water, energy, and recycled
materials. For more information on the Sanitation Districts, please visit www.lacsd.org.

ABOUT THE BOEING COMPANY: Through purposeful investments, employee
engagement and thoughtful advocacy efforts, Boeing and its employees support
innovative partnerships and programs that align with the company’s strategic objectives,
create value and help build better communities worldwide. See how Boeing is making a
difference by visiting the 2018 Boeing Global Engagement Portfolio at
Boeing.com/community. Chicago-based Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace
company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and
security systems. Engage on social @Boeing with #BoeingInspires.