Orange High School Earns Silver Award From National Wildlife Federation's Eco-Schools USA

Orange is the new green, at least at Orange High School it is.  Students and staff are going green with a sustainable food initiative that infiltrates everything from staff seminars to core curriculum.  Their efforts have earned them the Silver Award with National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Eco-Schools USA Program.  This international program helps schools integrate sustainability into the curriculum and onto school grounds, empowering students to change the way they impact the environment.  Orange High School joined the program earlier this year and has been making use of the free resources and training offered through Eco-Schools USA to expand their sustainable food initiative. 

Under the leadership of Superintendent Ronald Lee and teacher Jonathan Rosenthal, Orange High School launched the Hydroponics Green House Project, a student run business in collaboration with the Culinary Arts Club, the FBLA club and the business and science department.  In addition to learning how to grow organic produce in a confined space, students are learning about nutrition, business, and marketing.

“Growing food in a hydroponic greenhouse and establishing a business to market the produce is a wonderful opportunity for our students to be exposed to a potential career.  We are also veryproud of all the participants for the work they have done in fostering this eco-friendly project,” says Superintendent Lee.  You can see the students at work in this video.

Sustainable food is being integrated into multiple curriculum areas as staff teach common subjects through the lens of sustainability, using sustainable food as examples for skill application. 

“Orange High School is an excellent example of how the Eco-Schools program can work,” says Jennifer Dowd, Eco-Schools coordinator, New Jersey Audubon.  Jennifer is helping to guide this effort through a free series of intensive professional development seminars for district teachers throughout the year.  New Jersey Audubon is an NWF affiliate and the state coordinator for the Eco-Schools program. 

To win the NWF Eco-School USA Silver Award schools must establish an Eco-Action Team, conduct an environmental audit, develop and monitor an Eco-Action plan and include the community as they focus on two of ten possible environmental pathways such as energy efficiency, biodiversity or sustainable foods. 

There are 133 Eco-Schools in New Jersey with 11 in Essex County including East Side High School, Edgemont Montessori, Greater Newark Charter School, H.B. Whitehorne Middle School, Maria L. Varisco Rogers Charter School, Millburn Middle School, Miller Street Elementary School, Montclair Kimberly Academy, Orange High School, Philips Academy Charter School, and Watchung School. 

Eco-Schools is an international program in 60 countries.  The program is hosted by National Wildlife Federation in the United States and coordinated by New Jersey Audubon in New Jersey.  Eco-Schools USA in New Jersey supports and directly aligns with Sustainable Jersey for Schools point based system.  PSE&G, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Horizon Foundation and Spencer Savings Bank provide generous support to the program. 

Watch the Eco-Schools USA video to see the program in action.