Also in celebration of Earth Day, Ohio EPA Director Laurie A. Stevenson introduced the Encouraging Environmental Excellence in Education (E4) program at a middle school in Newark, Ohio. Heritage Middle School was recognized for demonstrating its students’ commitment to environmental stewardship and developing education curriculum through its in-vessel composting, greenhouse, and STEM-team projects.
The E4 program recognizes any K-12 public or private school for its achievements in environmental stewardship and efforts to educate students on environmental topics. The program has three recognition levels: root, branch, and leaf, which are based on how many of the “three R” environmental principles (reduce, reuse, and recycle) the school is incorporating in its curriculum or school activities. Schools can apply at any time through an online application.
