1. GREEN RIBBON SCHOOLS
Fostering Students’ Sustainability/Green Initiatives
While Building STEM
And 21st Century Leaning/Career Skills

2. Children ...may spend their childhoods with little or no opportunity
to play in clean dirt, swim in clear, running streams, hear and see
animals in their natural habitats, feel the sensations of walking
through meadows and woodlands on dewy mornings, climb trees,
and explore wild places.
These are the experiences that bond children to the natural world,
sharpen their senses, inspire a sense of beauty, build emerging
concepts of biology, geology, physics, and language.
And they are critical brain building experiences for
complementing the physical , social, and cognitive skills
developed in recess, free playground play, and compact nature
areas in backyards, schoolyards, and neighborhood parks."
Dr. Joe Frost, the Parker Centennial Professor Emeritus in The University of Texas at Austin
College of Education's Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Texas Children in Nature
Coalition member

3. Green Ribbon Schools’ 3 R’s Approach
HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, SMARTER KIDS
Learning and Behavioral Change goes beyond
“lesson plans” … we must:
• Reach and involve kids w/ engaging STEM
tools/programs(Project Based Learning)
• Recognize student achievement
• Reinforce actions through individual and community
support
Today we’ll:
• Review Green Ribbon Schools and Healthivores

4. GRS Launched April 2010 60+ Houston area schools
753 SCHOOLS IN 40 STATES

5. Source: Children at Risk

6. Before the What…Let’s talk about WHY Green Ribbon Schools
WHY GREEN RIBBON SCHOOLS?
... stewards of
Reduce obesity...
resources...
... improve test scores... ... trim
budgets!

7. Green Ribbon Schools – State and National Partners
CHILDREN IN NATURE COALITION – 60+ ORGS.
Helping students reach their potential,
healthier, happier, smarter

8. What is a Green Ribbon School? Striving for Continual Improvement

9. INTERACTIONS
GRS - PERMISSION BASED – PURPOSEFUL
Green Ribbon Schools – TX Children in Nature Coaltion
www.greenribbonschools.org

10. Great Published Activities
GREAT PUBLISHED ACTIVITIES

11. Schools Taking and Sharing Actions
HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, SMARTER
0

12. Examples of a Few Published Projects
KIDS
HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, SMARTER … ENGAGED
• NY Turtle Count
• Alaska Wind Turbine
• NJ Garden Plots
• CA Outside Classes
• Katy Fishing Trip video
• Dallas Gardens and more
• San Antonio Healthivores
• Cedar Park Healthivores
• Austin Healthivores (Spanish included in talk bubbles)
Please note, if the links do not work in the PDF or slide version, projects
can be located used the Green Ribbon Schools’ web site “search” feature

13. School Badges, Archived Projects – Annual Clean Green Slate
DIGITAL PORTFOLIO FOR ENTIRE SCHOOL

14. Permission Based: Projects, Publishing, Moderation, Profiles
POLICIES
DESIGNED FOR SCHOOLS’ ACCEPTABLE USE

15. Integrated Social Media Campaigns – E-letters, Facebook, etc.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Facebook 2,600+
E-letters 2,700+, Tuesday Tips
Conferences from
PTA’s/PTO’s to Student Councils to
Teacher Organizations
Other:
Hays CISD included GRS in
5-yr strategic plan, school
principal “focus, direction”
Balcones Chap. USGBC used
GRS web site to select schools
Partnership discussions w/
TSU Meadows/Aquarena
Springs
UT Brownsville & PBL
GRS Web stats
Page Views NY Parent “GRS is the glue”
Visits
Oct.’11 1,173
Oct.’11 209
Oct.’12 23,183
Oct.’12 4,265

16. Engaging Students – Fabric of the School – Contest, Recognition
HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, SMARTER, KIDS

17. An innovative program and
contest that ENGAGES KIDS
in learning about personal
HEALTH through VIDEO
GAME DESIGN

19. Background
Convergence: Pflugerville ISD, AMD Foundation, Green Ribbon
Schools
Pilot: Fall 2011, HS kids mentored MS & Elem (90% of pilot
students Hispanic/African American, conducted during 21st
Century after-school program)
Observed: Grade level step up in cognitive thinking and
internalization of the lesson/concept
Created: Toolkit and national contest

20. Josue, Teacher:
“Students are enjoying being able to design the
games. Not only am I seeing the light come on in their
heads about healthy foods and exercising but they are
starting to learn the vocabulary and skills around game
making, which will motivate them to investigate further
the mechanics behind game design and creation.“
Kathryn, Instructional Technology Coordinator:
Healthivores enabled the teachers to be competent
facilitators … Students were excited to show off what
they learned for other students … Watching students
helping someone else become healthy was amazing.”

21. Mariah, Student:
“I started browsing around Taco Cabana's website. Most of
the other students were looking at the usuals like
McDonald’s, Whataburger, etc… … I heard Mexican food
tastes so good because it's bad for you.
I found a dish that has a total of 96 grams of fat. I was like,
"holy cow, if you eat this, you can't eat for a day and a
half". I decided I would never eat there again because I
don’t want to be "fat".”
Austin B., Student and a Healthivores’ game winner:
"That is my dream — to actually create my own game
company."

22. Zero Game Design and Zero Game Play
Experience Needed.
If you can turn on a computer…you can
complete our Lesson Plan with your
students.
Let’s just say we have made it really EASY!

24. WINNERS

25. Top Line Health and Technology
Pilot students reported
•Almost 80% reported an increase in technology skills and about 57%
reported increase in math/science skills
•54% reported an increased interest in technology, 49% said increase
in math and science interests
•68% saying they are more aware and concerned about obesity
•50% saying it has made them think about and/or adjust their food
choices/habits
Game Contest Participation
 Goal 12 to 15 schools
 Actual 46 schools, over 750 students
 About 375 games created, 50% by middle schools
 Published health education projects +400%
Contest students reported
 68% reported an increase in technology interest
 54% said program changed how they think about food choices

26. Continue Student Engagement - Establish Tradition
HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, SMARTER, KIDS
Keep the buzz w/ Voting contest
New contest Oct. – March 2013 …
Extend Healthivores: Student newspapers,PSA’s,etc.
Establish “School Culture of Wellness”, cool to
think/act regarding your health

27. It’s About the Kids - Future
HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, SMARTER
0

28. Briargrove Elementary and Green Ribbon Schools
KIDS
HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, SMARTER … FUNNER
Building a Culture Where it is Cool to Think …
And to Act ….
• Build and Share Your Story – Glue
• Knowledge Sharing – Grow Best Practices
• Reach and Engage Community Participation
• Empower Kids for Life Long Success .. That They
Matter

29. “Engaging children in
nature exploration and play
helps prevent obesity and related diseases,
nurtures physical fitness,
enhances overall development and well being,
and
adds fundamental dimensions
to learning science concepts
not available
in the confines of classrooms.”
Dr. Joe Frost, the Parker Centennial Professor Emeritus in The University of Texas at Austin
College of Education's Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Texas Children in Nature
Coalition member

30. Steve Amos
Steve@4cw3.org
512-970-7443
www.greenribbonschools.org
Healthier, Happier, Smarter Kids