Projects

Projects are the heart of the MN GreenStep Program. A green team from a school and/or district works to achieve a goal that fulfills one or more best practice actions. Resource Organizations are often involved, as are individuals outside the green team, who follow the progress, volunteer, or help spread the word. 

For example, a school green team, might plan a community garden on school grounds in partnership with resource organizations like their city, a school garden organization, a public health educator training school and community members how to cook with fresh food, and an organization that works with undeserved community members. Individuals in the community like volunteers, or others who want to learn from the project can join the activity. 

The project is documented in a Project Story Form, that documents the team, activities, best practices achieved, lessons learned, and other helpful information such as resources to share. A project can achieve just one Best Practice Action, but there are often opportunities to accomplish more than one thing in a project. For example, in the community garden example above, a team might accomplish best practice actions under categories of: 0.4. Equity And Diversity, 0.6 Community Leadership if the project and lessons learned are presented at a community gardens conference, 1.7. Community Spaces since the project would include areas that the community can use, 2.5. Physical Activity: if students go outside during class to work in the garden while learning about plants and agriculture, 3.1 Integrated Environmental Education: if the gardening is integrated with curriculum, 3.2  Outdoor Learning, and 3.5 Community Projects: if students were involved in the serving community needs. A single project can accomplish many goals to earn credit in the program.

Once a team submits projects that add up to enough best practices for the next GreenStep recognition level, they can apply for the new level, attaching the projects that demonstrate the advancement in activity, learning, and sharing resources. Teams can build projects and best practices before or after they join the program, though joining the program first is recommended.

"Step 1": A special project that starts the process

To become a MN GreenStep District or School, teams must complete the Step 1 Project that achieves two best practices: 0.1. Green Team: Participating districts and schools form a green team made up diverse roles and stakeholders and 0.2. GreenStep School Resolution: The district passes a resolution to participate in GreenStep, signed by participating schools. This is described further in the Step 1 Page.