2009 - 2010 Grant Winners
Pine Ridge Middle Scool, West Columbia
Tying It Together: Healthy Soil, Healthy Water, Healthy Plants, Healthy Students
Seventh graders at Pine Ridge Middle School are planting a garden that has many environmental benefits. The garden will be fertilized with composted lunchroom scraps and watered using collected rainwater. The garden improves air quality on campus by reducing the area of lawn needing to be mown. Water quality also benefits because grass removed from the garden site is planted to cover bare soil and reduce erosion.
The Tying it Together project will produce healthy food while being healthy for the earth.
View the Pine Ridge Middle School television commercial.
Wren High School, Piedmont
Wren Champions of Water Quality
Wren’s AP Biology students want to reduce water pollution. They are the leaders of a projet that involves almost a quarter of the student body. Science students are testing water quality and researching the pollutants that affect water quality. Service learning students are surveying business owners to hear their questions about water and water quality. And, graphic arts classes will design educational materials about water pollution for their community. There are even plans for foreign language students to translate pollution prevention messages into other languages spoken in the community.
Wren Champions of Water Quality is a great project that involves and educates students who in turn educate the community about water quality and pollution prevention.
View the Wren High School television commercial.
Trident Academy, Mt. Pleasant
Sustainability from Sea to Shining Sea
Trident Academy middle school students formed an ecology club to carry out simple sustainable projects. Students have a road map of actions to work on as they study of the United States in their classrooms. The students will reduce waste, conserve resources and teach others how to reduce their impact on the natural world. Projects include painting light switch covers to encourage energy conservation; making reusable gift bags, holding a book swap, and using solar cookers on “Survivor Night”, an electricity and technology free campout.
By the end of Sustainability from Sea to Shining Sea Trident students will understand how small actions can help make our nation environmentally sustainable from Sea to Shining Sea.
View the Trident Academy television commercial.
West Ashley High School, Charleston
WATER Wildcats Attack Rainwater Runnoff
The West Ashley Team of Environmental Researchers is working to reduce runoff pollution on campus. These W.A.T.E.R. Wildcats are planting a rain garden to filter pollutants picked up by rainwater as it flows over sidewalks, and off the school’s roof. This cleans the water before it drains into stormwater ponds and into the wetlands beyond. Students will monitor water quality in the pond before and after the garden is planted. Students will place educational signs around their project area to teach anyone who visits about the importance of clean water.
As the W.A.T.E.R. Wildcats Attack Rainwater Runoff, they are protecting water quality and preserving habitat for animals and people alike.
View the West Ashley television commercial.
LowCountry Institute, Okatie with Whale Branch Middle School, Seabrook
Habitat Enhancement for Native Birds
Educators from the LowCountry Institute (LCI) are working with Whale Branch Middle School students to make their schoolyard a better place to live for local birds. The educators are teaching students about birds and why there are fewer of them today compared to a few years ago. To help local birds, including those that like to build nests in tree holes, the students are building and posting birdhouses and planting native plants to provide food and nesting materials.
Through Habitat Enhancement for Native Birds students at Whale Branch Middle School will gain an appreciation for a special group of animals from their own community. And their actions will have a positive impact on the survival of local birds now and in the future.