Three schools from District Five receive South Carolina Green Step School Awards

For Immediate Release – June 28, 2017

Three schools from District Five receive South Carolina Green Step School Awards

IRMO – Three schools from Lexington-Richland School District Five have been recognized this year as a South Carolina Certified Green Step School by Sonoco Recycling. Dutch Fork Elementary, H. E. Corley Elementary and Irmo Middle School were recipients at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (SC DHEC) Take Action Today workshop held on June 20.

To become an SC Certified Green Step School, a school must have well-established, model-quality projects that help conserve, protect and restore the school’s environment. School teams must work with qualified mentors and provide pictures of students learning, doing and teaching others about their projects.

“This is another great day for the Dutch Fork Elementary Academy of Environmental Science family,” said Dutch Fork Elementary principal Julius Scott. “Our school prides itself on making our world a better place. It starts right here. To be recognized as an SC Certified Green Step School, it is a true testament to the dedication our staff, students, parents and wonderful community put into making Dutch Fork Elementary the school it is!”

Dutch Fork Elementary prides itself on their recycling program. The entire DFES community recycles all office and classroom paper products, plastic containers and jugs, aluminum cans, and cardboard. The school also participates in a food waste-to-compost program, testing the quality of air from car rider lines and partnering with Irmo Middle’s milkweed project.

“We are elated to be a recipient of the SC Certified Green Step School award,” said H. E. Corley Elementary principal Dr. Judy Franchini. “Our mission at H. E. Corley is to do our part as Corley leaders to educate, advocate for and protect the environment in our school, homes and community for a greener and safer future. I am so proud of our school!”

H. E. Corley Elementary participates in recycling, reusing materials to create and frame art work for its art gallery and composting. The school also partnered with SC DHEC for the “Breathe Better anti-idling campaign” where students studied about air quality and ways to “spare the air.”

“It is such a tremendous honor to be recognized as a Certified Green Step School,” said Irmo Middle School principal Robert Jackson. “Irmo Middle School has long been practicing the core values of conserving, protecting and restoring, and we are so happy to see our students hard work pay off for the six projects they have worked on this school year!”

Irmo Middle’s six projects consist of conserving and reusing shopping bags, recycling, monarchs, milkweed and migration, and plants and trout in the classroom.

“What an exciting day it is for Lexington-Richland School District Five to have three of its schools recognized as Green Step Schools,” said District Five Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hefner. “We commend Dutch Fork Elementary, H. E. Corley Elementary and Irmo Middle School for all their hard work, dedication and drive into making their schools, and our entire district community a safe and healthy environment!”

###