Search for Green Ribbon Schools Begins

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Outstanding Environmental Programs

Native Brief: WASHINGTON - Bureau of Indian Education funded schools can now apply for the US Department of Education's Green Ribbon School program, which provides national recognition for schools using outstanding environmental programs and techniques, BIE Director Keith Moore announced.

"The Green Ribbon Schools program will recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the Bureau of Indian Education schools that are working hard to create environmentally friendly and healthy learning spaces,"

said Moore, who noted that the application for eligibility is now available.

"The BIE is dedicated to leading the movement to build a healthier and sustainable future for our children across Indian Country."

Interested schools can access the online application on the Bureau of Indian Education Green Ribbon School website

Applications are due by February 24.

The Bureau of Indian Education will review and select up to four nominees to the Education's Green Ribbon School program. Awardees will be announced in April 2012 and are expected to receive their awards in May 2012.

The Bureau of Indian Education joined the recently launched national Green Ribbon School program and launched a nationwide search across Indian Country to find outstanding environmental schools that meet its standards. Many Bureau of Indian Education schools are actively saving energy, reducing costs, promoting environmental literacy and providing healthy environments for students, faculty and staff. Those schools will now have the opportunity to be recognized nationally.

States and other education agencies have also been invited to participate in the Green Ribbon Schools program, which is patterned after the long running Blue Ribbon School Program. The US Department of Education took many months to strategically design the Green Ribbon Schools program and have named this year as the "pilot year." The new federal program encourages schools to:

posted January 20, 2011 7:40 am est