Driftwood Middle School Named 2013 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School

Driftwood Middle School was named a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon school by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Chair of White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley, and Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Bob Persiacepe. Driftwood Middle is among the 64 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools honored for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including civics and green career pathways.

Driftwood Middle was nominated by the Florida Department of Education for their efforts and accomplishments related to reducing environmental impact and costs by involving all teams, clubs, and activities at the school in recycling, improving the health and wellness of students and staff by infusing health and wellness into all curriculum areas of the school, and providing an effective environmental and sustainability education program, which incorporates STEM, civic skills and green career pathways by having forty percent of our campus devoted to ecologically beneficial uses.

“Today’s honorees are modeling a comprehensive approach to being green,” said Secretary Duncan. “They are demonstrating ways schools can simultaneously cut costs; improve health, performance and equity; and provide an education geared toward the jobs of the future. In fact, the selected districts are saving millions of dollars as a result of their greening efforts. And the great thing is that the resources these honorees are using are available for free to all schools."

The school was confirmed from a pool of candidates voluntarily nominated by 32 state education agencies. The list of selectees includes 54 public schools and 10 private schools. A special recognition ceremony for awardees will occur on June 3rd in Washington, D.C.

Driftwood Middle School, which is home to the Academy of Health and Wellness Magnet program, is also a recent recipient of the Florida Green Ribbon School and Florida Green School of Excellence awards.