Superintendent Dr. Alan Cron
34 MacKinlay Way,
Rockland, MA 02370
For Immediate Release
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net
Rockland High School Environmental Club Receives Excellence in Environmental Education Award
ROCKLAND — Superintendent Alan Cron is pleased to share that the Rockland High School Environmental Club has been awarded the 2019 Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Environmental Education.
The award is given annually by the Massachusetts Envirothon Steering Committee and the Massachusetts Envirothon Council to recognize educators and schools for their exemplary support of environmental and energy education initiatives.
The award recognizes the Environmental Club, which is coached by Rockland High School science teacher Angela Armstrong, for its research of the North/South Rivers watershed and efforts to improve water treatment. The students learned that their town is located at the headwaters of the watershed and worked to find ways to improve water quality for downstream communities. Local officials later gave the students guidance on how they could put their ideas in place to improve treatment.
The students began studying sustainable development pertaining to watersheds for the 2018 Massachusetts Envirothon, an annual competition that tests students on their knowledge of the environment through a researched presentation, written questions and hands-on tasks such as soil analysis or tree identification.
Later this month, students will compete with approximately 30 schools in the 2019 Massachusetts Envirothon on May 17 at Sholan Farms in Leominster.
The award also recognizes the club for its efforts to encourage the Massachusetts Envirothon Steering Committee to improve composting efforts at workshops preparing students for the Envirothon. As a result of the club’s initiative, the committee worked to reduce its waste and use less harmful products. The students also brought lunch fixings for everyone at the workshops in an effort to reduce waste.
“These students feel it’s their responsibility to protect our natural resources, and it’s remarkable how knowledgeable they have become about a range of complex environmental topics,” Superintendent Cron said. “They’ve made a significant impact by educating the community to reduce waste and become more environmentally conscious, and it’s great to see them recognized by this award.”
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