Change is Simple, Inc. Wins 2017 Project Green Schools Award

Change is Simple, Inc. WinsProject Green Schools Award

For their Work and Impacts in Environmental/Sustainability Education for over 5 Years

On Friday May 19th at the Massachusetts State House, Project Green Schools awarded local Environmental/Sustainability Education Leaders, Change is Simple, Inc. with the SUSTAINABILITY AWARD for An Outstanding Environmental Education Program with Proven Track Record of 5 or More Years at the 9th Annual Green Difference Awards.
Project Green Schools honors and recognizes Outstanding National Environmental Education and STEM Education efforts led in our Schools and Communities through their Annual Green Difference Awards Program. Award recipients have come from the following states: MA, NY, CA, OH, MD, FL, GA, SC, AL, PA, RI, ME, TX, NH, and MI. This annual event takes place at the MA State House where they honor Green Difference Makers made up of Principals, Teachers, Advisors, Citizens, Schools, Students, School Groups/Clubs, and Sponsors. Keynote speaker Leilani Maaja Münter, American race car driver and environmental activist, spoke about her work as a champion for environmental issues. She blogs in the green section of the Huffington Post, became the first Ambassador for the National Wildlife Federation in 2008 and went to Capitol Hill to lobby for environmental legislation.
PGS Awards are given out each year in the following areas:

• Outstanding Green Superintendent/Principal
• Outstanding Green Education/Program Director
• Outstanding Green Community Hero
• Outstanding Green Student [Elementary/Middle/High]
• Outstanding Commitment to Greenovation [GREEN + STEM + Innovation]
• Outstanding School-led Project in Sports
• Outstanding School-led Project in Energy
• SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – Outstanding Environmental Education Program with Proven Track Record of 5 or more years

Couple Lauren and Patrick Belmonte, who grew up in Beverly, started Change is Simple in one classroom in Beverly in 2011, and have since grown to educate over 16,000 students over the past 6 years, with 6,872 students educated last year alone. Change is Simple Inc., based in Beverly, MA empowers our youngest citizens to understand their power to impact our world. They inspire elementary students to adopt lifelong environmental and social responsibility through a comprehensive sustainability curriculum.

The Change is Simple education model transforms classrooms into construction zones and ecosystems, and students into engineers and scientists. It integrates relevant science and sustainability into classrooms, enabling students to apply math, english, and social studies to address critical world issues.
The mission of Change is Simple is transforming students from bystanders to mindful participants in creating a more sustainable, healthier world.

Their award for Outstanding Environmental Education Program with Proven Track Record of 5 or more years was awarded for their continued growth and success in MA since their founding, and for the impacts the students they teach have made in their communities.

In comments after the event, Founder Patrick Belmonte said: "Congrats to our whole team, board and all our supporters. We are thrilled to receive this award, which would not be possible without the support of our students, Principals, schools, and donors. We are also grateful to Project Green Schools Executive Director/Founder Robin Organ, for her continued work to support and celebrate green and environmental education initiatives around the country and the world.”

Please find out more and support our work at:www.changeissimple.org/donate

Contact: Patrick Belmonte, Founder Change is Simple, Inc. 8 Enon Street, Beverly, MA

(978) 344-2155

pbelmonte@changeissimple.org#

# #

About Change is Simple: With a growing need for education surrounding sustainability, 21st Century learning, and an inspired passion for the STEM field, Change is Simple was founded in 2011 to improve the collective understanding of community, health, and environmental values. Change is Simple integrates an environmental/sustainability curriculum while aligning with subject areas currently being taught in public schools: Math, Science, and English Language Arts.

Key achievements during the past 5 YEARS:
2012 Governor Deval Patrick participates in the Change is Simple, Inc. program, calling it “innovative and profoundly important”.
2013 Cummings Foundation $100,000 grant is awarded to Change is Simple, Inc. allowing them to bring this education to all Beverly and Woburn elementary schools for two years.
2014 Won first of two MA Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs ‘Excellence in Environmental Education’ is awarded to Change is Simple, Inc.
2015 Change is Simple, Inc. establishes a composting program for a middle school lunchroom, which reduces landfill trash by 40,000 lbs annually.
2016 Change is Simple, Inc. embarks on new strategic initiatives
2017 Change is Simple, Inc. wins 2017 Greater Beverly Chamber Non-Profit of the Year Award, and Project Green Schools Award for ‘Outstanding Environmental Education Program with Proven Track Record of 5 or more years’

www.changeissimple.org
Why CiS: https://vimeo.com/112519165
CiS Students:https://vimeo.com/145726202
Teacher Testimonial: https://vimeo.com/110175683