Dominion Employees Build Outdoor Classroom at GW Middle School

Dominion employee volunteers recently took time away from their normal busy schedules to “Energize Our Community” and help George Washington Middle School teachers and students enhance their learning environment by building an outdoor classroom, according to a news release from Dominion.

More than a dozen Dominion Virginia Power employees worked inside of George Washington Middle School’s atrium and courtyard constructing nine work benches and an 8 ft x 8 ft deck from which teachers can provide student instruction. Volunteers also provided mulch and landscaped the area. The school is located at 1005 Mount Vernon Ave., in Alexandria.

This fall marks the 15th year of Dominion’s Putting our Energy to Work for the Environment program. Since this signature initiative began in October 2000, now renamed Energizing Our Communities, thousands of Dominion volunteers have participated in more than 200 projects to improve the environment in their communities.

There are two more outdoor classroom projects Dominion employee volunteers will construct on Oct. 21 and 22: Piney Branch Elementary in Prince William County and Graham Road Elementary in Fairfax County.

Each of the schools will benefit from two grants totaling more than $6,000 per project. The funding will be used to support the construction of each of the outdoor classrooms, as well as curriculum development. Dominion, schools officials, state 4-H staff and the Virginia Cooperative Extension will work in concert to develop the curriculum.

PHOTO of outdoor classroom constructed by Dominion employee volunteers courtesy of Dominion Power.