News
MN GreenStep Schools at the 2022 MN State Fair Eco Experience
Summer 2022
MN GreenStep Schools was at the MN State Fair Eco Experience! Visitors learned about the program in the MN GreenStep programs display area. And on the afternoon of Saturday, September 3rd, visitors could chat with MN GreenStep Schools in the booth, including an appearance by the very first MN GreenStep Schools Green Club in the late afternoon: Roseville Area High School Students For Climate Action.
In our summer newsletter you can learn more about the new MN GreenStep Schools Green Club Member type, Hear about opportunities for schools, and meet the summer interns and learn about their work developing new best practices, and more.
Resources Update
Fork Farms: "Unleashing the power of fresh food"
From the Fork Farms website.
Fork Farms
This summer, Fork Farms became a MN GreenStep Resource Organization. They say: "Our mission is to unleash the power of fresh food production for happier, healthier people. We empower a collaborative community of growers with the most efficient and transformative vertical farming technology on the planet. We are reinventing the global food system to accelerate local access to fresh food and inspire healthier living for all."
Offerings to schools include "Connections/Network, Materials, Equipment, or Products, NGSS Aligned K-12 Curriculum"
Their GreenStep Resource Organization member page is in progress.
Meanwhile visit the Fork Farms website
Or Contact, Abigail Thompson to learn more.
Resource Organizations
What is a MN GreenStep School Resource Organization?
MN GreenStep Schools Member Resource Organizations help schools in their efforts to grow. Read about our Resource Organizations and consider being next… Go to the Resource Organizations Page to sign up.
Who can be a resource organization? Any organization or individual that has something to offer to schools trying to green their facilities, operations, or programming.
These organizations have joined MN GreenStep Schools to help schools with their best practices. You can follow the links to see their profile pages.
Sustainability Internships Class, Sustainability Education at the Institute on the Environment
MN GIS Education Hub, a resource for integrating GIS in K-12 education (member page in progress)
EmPowered Schools Program (member page in progress)
New: Fork Farms (member page in progress)
Be the Next! Go to the Resource Organizations Page to sign up.
Sustainability Internships Class, Sustainability Education at the Institute on the Environment
This program became a MN GreenStep Schools Resource Organization in spring 2021, and they continue to have a biannual call for those interested in connecting with an intern.
Do you have a need for a college student intern to work on a sustainability-related project?
Each fall and spring semester, the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities offers SUST 4096: Sustainability Internships, a class that supports students in finding internships with a sustainability focus. Students intern for 4, 7 or 10 hours per week for a total of 14 weeks throughout the semester. Students in the class come from majors and programs across the university, but all of them share an interest in sustainability. If you have a project or position that you think could be a good fit for students in the class, reach out to them at their website for details about proposing an internship.
MN GreenStep Schools has worked with five interns from this program so far - it is a great resource and rewarding to provide a meaningful experience for the interns. We are glad to have the Sustainability Internships Class, from Sustainability Education at the Institute on the Environment as a MN GreenStep School Resource Organization Member.
Read more about the Sustainability Internships Class at their Resource Organization profile page.
MN GreenStep Schools Program News
There's a new participation type in MN GreenStep Schools! Announcing MN GreenStep Schools Green Clubs!
GreenStep Green Clubs are for youth to grow their leadership abilities and help schools make progress in their MN GreenStep goals. This participation type recognizes the importance of youth leadership in the school improvement process. Green clubs are youth led, and adult supported. Whether a school has officially joined the GreenStep program or not, Green Clubs offer a connection for youth interested in the best practice areas of MN GreenStep Schools and a way for teams to share their ideas and progress across schools. A school may have more than one green club, for example an engineering club might want to take on a solar demonstration project, and a science club might want to inventory the natural features of a schoolyard. Green Clubs should be recognized and engaged by a school's official "Green Team," and encouraged to share project stories. Establishing and supporting Green Clubs can help a school earn best practice credits under best practice 3.4. Environmental Career Preparation, plus any other best practices related to projects the Green Club completes.
NOTE: Green Clubs do not necessarily represent the official positions nor opinions of their affiliated school.
This new participation category is launced September 3rd, 2022 at the Minnesota State Fair with the very first GreenStep Green Club!
Learn more about Roseville Area High School Students For Climate Action
How to Get Involved in MN GreenStep Schools
Youth-led projects (such as these YES! project teams pictured) are one of our favorite kind of Project Stories
8 Ways to Get Involved in MN GreenStep Schools
Sign up on the interest form to become part of our mailing list, show support, introduce yourself to the green schools network
Gather a green team and get your school and district informed about MN GreenStep Schools. Did you know there is a slide show template and other resources you can use to start planning for a MN GreenStep Schools Resolution? Did you know the program is free, voluntary, and flexible?
Work to achieve MN GreenStep Schools Step Level 1 recognition. There are two parts to this: form a green team, and pass a district school board resolution to participate in the program.
Participate in the MN GreenStep Schools Solar Schools Blitz! with support from MN Clean Energy Resource Teams. Learn More about how to Share your Solar Success, Find your Solar Potential, Picture your Solar Future, and Explore Solar Resources for action and learning from MN GreenStep Schools, CERTS, and more. You can participate, even if you haven't joined MN GreenStep Schools yet.
Share your green school project story to show your progress and inspire other schools.
If you are an organization that can help schools achieve their green school goals, become a MN GreenStep School Resource Organization to help schools find you.
If you are a green club or your club includes any activities that overlap with MN GreenStep Schools best practices, you can become a MN GreenStep School Green Club, whether your school has joined the program or not.
These are just some of the ways to get involved, with more opportunities to come.
Thanks to the contacts from Districts, Schools, Resource Organizations, and others
who have expressed interest in MN GreenStep Schools!
who have expressed interest in MN GreenStep Schools!
Interested in the program? Want to be on the mailing list? Sign up in the Interest Form...