This year’s Earth Heroes at School were celebrated at an event in early May. King County is grateful for all the good work by these schools, students, teachers, staff and volunteers to protect our environment now and in the future. Curious to know what it takes to have the title of an Earth Hero?

Here are three highlighted stories of this year’s winners:

Student Green Team, Tesla STEM High School 

Student Green Team, Tesla STEM High School, Lake Washington School District
In addition to helping Tesla STEM become a Level One King County Green School, the student Green Team conducted waste audits and calculated the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that could be reduced by composting. The team created an initiative to encourage schools to commit to reducing carbon emissions in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement. The team also created an app for primary students to learn about climate change through games and play.

Jane Watkins, Maywood Middle School

Jane Watkins, Maywood Middle School, Issaquah School District
Year after year, Jane advises the student Green Team with the goal of a culture of sustainability at school. She attends district-wide staff Green Team meetings and shares Successes for duplication by the other schools. Projects this year include the annual One Paper Towel Challenge to reduce paper towel waste at school; an analysis of parking lot idling; a staff training on reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting; and an award to recognize acts of greenness at school.

Shoshanna Cohen, White Center Heights Elementary School

Shoshanna Cohen, White Center Heights Elementary School, Highline School District
Shoshanna Cohen led the first-grade teaching team in learning about the life cycles of paper, metal, and plastics through an interactive storytelling game. As part of this project, students created four art pieces using disposable plastics and LED technology. The art pieces will serve as focal points for teaching others in the school as well those in their community how to waste less and recycle more plastic items.

Here is the full list of winners. Our thanks and congratulations to all!

• Carol Barker and Auburn School District Child Nutrition Services
• Paul Bowler and Stephanie Lecovin, Peter Kirk Elementary School
• Shoshanna Cohen, White Center Heights Elementary School
• Jody Coulston, King’s Elementary School
• Thomas Ho, Marci Klinkenberg, and student Green Team, Lake Youngs Elementary School
• Veronica Knight, Environmental and Adventure School
• Carol Mendoza, St. Bernadette Parish School
• Laura Sanders, Westwood Elementary School
• Jonathan Stine and Renton School District
• Tesla STEM High School Green Team
• Mary Ward, Tiffany Park Elementary School
• Jane Watkins, Maywood Middle School
• Kelsey Webb, Enumclaw High School
• Steve Wojciechowski and Star Lake Elementary Green Team
• Andrea Wolfe, Apollo Elementary School

Let’s support the good work of these Earth Heroes at School by doing our part to help the environment.  Using less plastics, reducing, recycling, and preventing food waste are everyday lifestyle things we all can do. Thanks for inspiring us, Earth Heroes!

What other things inspire you to help protect the environment? Leave us a comment down below!