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Eco-Green Students Collect Data and Build Impact Through STEAM Education and Action
The National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Green is kicking off its 10th season as a collaboration of twenty schools across Michigan, Ohio, New York, and beyond to make change on their campuses by providing green STEAM and climate education through action-based EcoSchools U.S. projects.
Each year, Eco-Green schools receive an action grant to carry out a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) and sustainability project on their campus. Each school is paired with a mentor, participates in professional development, and utilizes the EcoSchools platform to certify their school. This year schools are highlighting the importance of STEAM education in action by building out pollinator gardens, restoring wetlands by cleaning up rivers, and monitoring air quality at their school.
In the 2023-24 school year, twenty Eco-Green schools reached 10,700 students with the support of 241 teachers and staff as they implemented compost systems, rain gardens, habitat restoration, vegetable gardens, and park designs to name a few thanks to the generous support of General Motors. This year, just as many students are poised to make an impact through hands-on STEAM projects.
Hoover Elementary School in Livonia, Michigan is rebuilding a pollinator garden in their schoolyard to bring beloved pollinators like bees and butterflies up close and personal to the young students. The Green Club is leading the redesign and building a nature trail in the adjacent woods with the support of their GM mentors Michelle Michailak and Lorelei Fradette. The pollinator garden will also help the school with stormwater due to the long root network of native pollinator species as we see larger volumes of rainfall as a result of climate change.
Leaders of Environmental Awareness and Protect (LEAP) Students at Hamtramck High School in Michigan are in the process of setting up air quality monitors outside the school through Purple Air. Students want to measure and compare air quality on the delivery side of the school where they have noticed trucks idle compared to the side of school with through traffic. Using data from their observations, LEAP students will be able to advocate for changes with their administration.
Students at Hull Prairie Intermediate School are studying the impacts of fishing tourism on the Maumee River buy measuring water quality and pollutants before and after the seasonal walleye run. Students and teachers are planning their yearly river clean up with the support of their GM Mentor Carl Schroeder.
These projects are just three of twenty which show Eco-Green STEAM projects are multifaceted—from pollinator gardens to river clean ups. Eco-Green shows students that as they deepen their relationship with the environment, they can make a real tangible impact in their communities.
To learn more about Eco-Green, head over to our website or the EcoSchools U.S. YouTube channel where you will find more stories like these and further information on how to get involved.
