Graham schools receive honor from U.S. Department of Education

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Graham Local Schools was the only school district in the state to receive a national green and sustainability award from the U.S. Department of Education.

Graham has been honored as one of the 2019 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools.

The district was nominated for the award by the Ohio Department of Education for their dedication to developing green and sustainable practices, while working towards a net zero impact on the environment, said Don Burely, Director of Operations for Graham Local School District.

“We are excited to be recognized as a National Green Ribbon School honoree for 2019. This prestigious distinction is one that could only be achieved by the dedicated teaching staff at Graham Local School by including green and sustainable opportunities into their curriculum,” Burley said.

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As a part of their sustainable practices, Graham will be installing solar panels this year at their elementary/middle school that were designed by the districts all-female student energy team in cooperation with Energy Optimizers USA, which is located in Dayton, Burely said.

“Our students at Graham have set a tremendous example of what student led initiatives can accomplish in changing not only the culture, but also operational practices of a school through teamwork and collaboration,” Burley said. “We look forward to continuing our journey being leaders in our region and nationally through healthy, green and sustainable initiatives.”

Honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 28 different states. Those selected include 25 public schools, including three magnet schools, two charter schools and 10 nonpublic schools, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Education.

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