For Immediate Release: May 2, 2023
Media Contact: Charles B. Pyle
RICHMOND — Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons today congratulated Little Tree Huggers Preschool in Leesburg and Freedom High School in Woodbridge for earning the 2023 U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon School Award.
The federal Green Ribbon School program recognizes schools and districts that promote environmental awareness, energy efficiency, community engagement and student wellness.
“I congratulate Little Tree Huggers Preschool and Freedom High School for their vision and commitment to embedding environmental practices and sustainability into their daily curriculum,” Coons said.
Little Tree Huggers is a bilingual, nature-based preschool where students learn about environmental stewardship by participating daily in all aspects of farm operations, from cleaning the chicken coop and large animal stalls to harvesting eggs, replenishing water and feeding the preschool’s rescue ponies, alpacas, goats, lambs and pigs. In addition, the preschool utilizes geothermal heating and solar panels for energy conservation.
Freedom High — through its Center of Environmental and Natural Sciences advanced scholars’ specialty program — offers several rigorous four-year programs of studies. Both the Environmental Science Pathway and the Environmental Engineering Pathway are designed to include strong laboratory and field investigation components.
The Virginia Department of Education nominated Little Tree Huggers Preschool and Freedom High earlier this year. The U.S. Department of Education will formally present the Green Ribbon School awards later this year during a ceremony in Washington. More information about the 2023 Green Ribbon School award winners is available online from the U.S. Department of Education.
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