Green School Initiative
Samuel Ogle MS Green School Certificate
Maryland is the first and, thus far, only state that has implemented environmental literacy standards for all students. In keeping with this initiatives student, teachers, and administration at Samuel Ogle Middle School have worked over the last two years to achieve a culture of environmental awareness. We have a sustainable learning community that fosters in all individuals, children as well as adults, the idea of interconnection among our school and our homes, as well as the larger communities of our neighborhoods, our city, state, country and the global community itself.
We believe the goal of education is one of recognition by the individual that the stewardship of our planetary resources and mutual responsibility for the well-being of one another rests with each of us. We reworded the Camp Schmidt slogan “A Cleaner World Starts With You” to “A Cleaner World Starts With ME” as part of our celebration of our ethos.
The specific behaviors we have adopted include a focus on school wide recycling efforts, collaborative planning that is inclusive of a conceptual framework for environmental consciousness. We have transformed our common areas to reflect our focus with signage and structures to promote and enrich student awareness.
The following are links to local, state and national sites that have information relevant to student environmental literacy - in addition may offer student service hours for green volunteerism.
Many student service opportunities are available through green volunteer programs.
- Maryland Environmental Literacy Standards
- City of Bowie Green Page
- William S. Schmidt Outdoor Education Center
- Prince Georges County Environmental
- Maryland Environmental Literacy Standards
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Maryland Department of Environment
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Science Foundation
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Samuel Ogle encourages parents and students to investigate alternative enrichment opportunities and grant offerings. The following sites are excellent resources for academic extension: