OREGON GREEN SCHOOLS 2005 Summit
“Learning Today…Acting for Tomorrow”

Students and teachers from Oregon Green Schools across the state enjoyed a beautiful sunny day at the 9th annual Oregon Green Schools Summit March 11th at Reynolds High School in Troutdale. Dubbed the “Sustainability Summit,” this year’s event explored ways that today’s decisions and actions will impact tomorrow’s world.

The day’s activities were kicked off by David Van’t Hof, Governor Kulongoski’s Sustainability Advisor, who delivered words of support from the Governor to more than 400 representatives from 62 schools. Mr. Van’t Hof was joined by Danny Santos, the Governor’s Policy Advisor, and viewed school exhibits, visited with students and peeked in on some of the many hands-on sessions that were offered throughout the day.

A large selection of sessions enticed attendees. They ranged from the “standards” – papermaking, composting, waste audits and Recycle Jeopardy – to activities centered around water conservation, ancient forests, community restoration, energy, school gardens, habitat sustainability, healthy school lunches, natural building materials, sustainable agriculture, and GIANT bugs!!! (Please see descriptions of breakout sessions below).

Things ran smoothly due to the efforts of a large number of incredible student volunteers who worked before, during and after the event. Among them were Reynolds “Students Helping Our Earth” (SHOE) club members, National Honor Society students and David Douglas High School students. One of the highlights of the day was a delicious and healthy waste-free lunch provided by the Reynolds Nutrition Services staff and Reynolds High School Hospitality, Travel and Tourism students.

The festivities concluded at the District’s new Hudson F. Lasher Arts & Communications Center with improvisational comedy with a waste reduction theme and door prizes provided by various sponsors.

A HUGE thanks to our sponsors who made it all possible! To view a list of sponsors……..

Here’s what a few who were there had to say about the Summit:

ADULTS:
“The summit was a great motivator and idea generator!”
“ What a great event – thank you!”
“ Thank you. Thank you. I was thoroughly impressed.”
“ Another great year! Thank you so much. The students I brought are more informed, enthusiastic and ready to share information with peers.”
“ Good job. I had a blast!”
“ Thank you for organizing an inspiring event. I’m ready to head back to my school and take action!”

STUDENTS:
“I had LOTS of fun, and I learned A LOT! Thanks!”
“ I like attending classes with different people. It’s fun. I’d like to come again!”
“ This was really fun! And I really liked what I got to do. I really learned a lot. Now I know what I can help with.”
“ Thank you and please let us come again. I had a great time. I learned how to recycle more.”
“ It’s great that so many organizations are helping out the environment just like my school . It just goes to show you that we aren’t alone as an environmentalist.”
“ Thanks so much for having me here today. I will go back to my school and tell about what we did.”
“ This green summit is the best field trip ever. I loved the stations, prizes and a lot more! This is a great opportunity for kids to understand green! I learned much more than I knew. Thanks!”

BREAK-OUT SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
(Download PDF session description here)

Session Times:
Session 1, 9:30-10:15
Session 2, 10:30-11:15
Session 3: 12:15-1:00

ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL SESSIONS:

GREEN SCHOOL SHOWCASE (Sessions 1, 2 and 3)
Get inspiration, ideas and insights into waste reduction and resource conservation from your peers! Come hear and see students share the unique ways they are contributing to a sustainable future through their Green School projects.
Moderator: Dan Prince, Site Supervisor, Multnomah ESD Outdoor Schools

PAPERMAKING (Sessions 2 and 3)
Immerse yourself in an artful exploration of the possibilities of paper. Trace its history from the Far East and points further west. Discover the benefits of paper recycling. Dip into a vat of recycled pulp to create your own unique paper. Hands-on, engaging and fun for all! Includes handouts to duplicate the process at home or in your classroom.
Presenter: Eileen Stapp, Waste Reduction Education Coordinator, Clackamas County Recycling
Partnership

CREATING A SCHOOL GARDEN THAT LASTS (Session 3)
Learn how to create a sustainable garden at your school. We will discuss forming a garden committee, selecting and preparing a site, choosing plants, and caring for the garden. You will get to draw your own design for a garden at your school. Then get your hands dirty as you identify different types of soil and some bad weeds to watch out for. If your school is already making compost, learn how to put it to use in a school garden. A school garden gives you the chance to have class outside and work together to grow food while learning science, math, ecology, and agricultural skills. Make it happen at your school!
Presenter: Sharon Blick, Executive Director, The School Garden Project of Lane County

LOVE A BUG! (Session 2)
Come see, touch, and hold huge live bugs from all over the world! Learn about their life cycles, adaptations, and importance in nature. Even if you don’t learn to love bugs in this session, you will learn to appreciate and understand them better and fear them less. By learning to feel more comfortable with bugs today, you will be less likely to kill them with poison tomorrow, and the result will be a much more healthy and sustainable world.
Presenter: Sharon Blick, “The Bug Lady”

COMMUNITY RESTORATION – ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AT THE SALISH PONDS WETLANDS (Sessions 1 and 3)
Take a virtual tour of the Salish Ponds Wetlands Park where you can see hawks, geese, ducks, rabbits, coyotes and other wildlife. Walk the trail and see the restoration projects that are making a difference in the environment of the area. A partnership between the City of Fairview, SOLV and the Reynolds School District provided environmental education opportunities for the students. The students and teachers have researched the different ecosystems and planted native plants along Fairview Creek, which runs through the entire park. A beautiful brochure was developed by the students – come and see what they learned.
Presenters: Connie Hansen, Administrative Assistant, City of Fairview& Chris Marracini, Teacher, Glenfair Elementary School, Reynolds School District

WATT WATCHERS: KEEP THE CURRENT FLOWING… (Sessions 1 and 3)
What does using electricity have to do with the 3Rs? EVERYTHING! This powerful presentation teaches how using electricity affects our environment. It’s shocking! Lots of hands-on electricity demos.
Presenter: Kat Hill, Utilities Conservation Specialist, Salem-Keizer Public Schools

POCKET SCRAP BOOKS (Sessions 1 and 2)
Come explore one of the most exciting R’s – REUSE! Witness firsthand how The School and Community Reuse Action Project (SCRAP) creatively supports education, arts and the environment. We’ll brainstorm about reuse, and then get down to the most important component: creating your own pocket SCRAP book.
Presenters: Teri Thomas Petersen, Arts & Education Director& Carol Mollet, Education Outreach Assistant, SCRAP School & Community Reuse Action Project

THE MAGIC OF COMPOSTING: TURNING GARBAGE INTO GOLD (Sessions 1 and 2)
Do you have the Midas touch? Learn how to turn garbage into gold! Discover the deep dark secrets of the earth and the magic that sustains old growth forests as well as your school garden. Get hands on and learn to make a worm bin for your classroom! We’ll combine shredded paper, leaves, red wigglers and our very own recipe for “yucky food waste salad”. Maybe YOU will win a worm bin to take back to your classroom!
Presenter: Anne Donahue, Compost Specialist, City of Eugene Solid Waste and Recycling

A WEIGH OUT OF WASTE (Sessions 2 and 3)
Do you ever dream about being a private investigator? Are you fascinated with the things that others choose to throw away? Do you look for any excuse you can find to wear plastic gloves? If so, this session was created just for you! We’ll sort out and weigh a collection of school garbage to expand our knowledge of waste reduction and resource use. When we’ve finished, you’ll know how to conduct waste audits at your own school or home and use them to track your waste reduction efforts. This session has been rated “two thumbs way up” by Oscar the Grouch. Don’t miss it!
Presenter: John Jackson, School Resource Specialist, Metro Regional Services

SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL LUNCHES (Sessions 1 and 3)
Put on your chef’s hat and get ready to create a veggie masterpiece! Explore what is happening in schools to offer healthier lunches. We are what we eat, and our eating habits can benefit our health and the health of the environment.
Presenter: Pam Wald, School Recycling Education Consultant, Corvallis

HABITAT SUSTAINABILITY & BUG SUCKER 101 (Sessions 1 and 2)
The 4-H Wildlife Stewards Program is focused on science learning outside the classroom door. Join us for a session where participants will design a sustainable habitat for optimum species survival. We will also make a “bug sucker” from recycled materials and get close up and personal with some common insects!
Presenters: Maggie Livesay & Susan Weiske, 4-H Wildlife Stewards

RECYCLE JEOPARDY (Sessions 1 and 2)
“ I’ll take Landfill Legacy for 200 points, Alex” may not be something you’d hear on the “Jeopardy” TV show, but in our version you’ll play and test your knowledge of waste reduction, composting, energy and trash. Prizes will be awarded based on total score…and everybody wins!
Presenter: Terri Peterson, Waste Reduction Manager, Douglas County Public Works

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE ANCIENT FOREST (Session 3)
Opal Creek’s ancient forest teaches us that almost everything in the forest gets re-used and recycled over hundreds and thousands of years. Rock becomes soil. Soil feeds plants. Plants decay into more soil. Trees take root, grow, fall, decay, and become the garden for new plants and trees. At our education center in the heart of a protected ancient forest, Friends of Opal Creek studies these ecological re-cycles as well as ways that waste reduction and recycling can improve the sustainability of our own presence in a nearly pristine ancient forest watershed. This session will explore one of Oregon’s most magnificent old growth forests, and ways we can learn sustainability from Opal Creek’s intact ecosystem.
Presenter: Steve Wise, Development Director, Friends of Opal Creek

SESSIONS FOR TEENS AND ADULTS:

GREEN TEEN ROUNDTABLE (Session 2)
Come join other “green” teens from around the state to talk about the issues, challenges and successes you’ve experienced with promoting sustainability at your school. Don’t miss this popular session!
Facilitator: Amy Wilson, Waste Reduction Educator, Metro Regional Services

FROM FIELD TO FORK – INGREDIENTS OF A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (Sessions 1, 2 and 3)
Did you know that industrial agriculture greatly affects our land, air, and water quality? Do you wonder how these effects impact our personal and community health? In this session learn about the foundations of a sustainable agriculture and discuss ways to participate in local community-based farm and garden projects!
Presenter: Andy Parker, OEC Head Gardener, Oregon Tilth

GREEN AND NATURAL BUILDING MATERIALS OF TODAY (Sessions 1, 2 and 3)
Green is for the plants that shade your windows in the summer. Brown is for the earth that is under our feet and in the walls of Cob. Come and hear about the basics of green and natural building from a local natural builder and artist who has been studying and working in the field for ten years, collecting all sorts of information and connections for ecological buildings. There may even be some muddy feet to show!
Presenter: Sukita Reay Crimmel, Owner, From These Hands Natural Building Construction

WATER CONSERVATION AT HOME AND AT SCHOOL (Sessions 1, 2 and 3)
How much water does your school use? How much does your house use? Perform a quick survey of the water use at Reynolds High School and come up with ideas for ways the school can lower its water needs, saving money and a valuable resource. Take the skills you learn back to your school or to your home.
Presenter: Matt Peterson, Portland Water Bureau

ADULT ROUNDTABLE (Session 3)
TEACHERS, ADVISORS AND OTHER NON-STUDENT ADULTS! Please come participate in this lively discussion! We’ll network, learn about other schools’ projects, share resource conservation strategies, talk about getting help from peers, and address other relevant topics of your choice.
Facilitator: Paul Seitz, Senior Program Educator, Washington County

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE ANCIENT FOREST (Session 1)
Opal Creek’s ancient forest teaches us that almost everything in the forest gets re-used and recycled over hundreds and thousands of years. Rock becomes soil. Soil feeds plants. Plants decay into more soil. Trees take root, grow, fall, decay, and become the garden for new plants and trees. At our education center in the heart of a protected ancient forest, Friends of Opal Creek studies these ecological re-cycles as well as ways that waste reduction and recycling can improve the sustainability of our own presence in a nearly pristine ancient forest watershed. This session will explore one of Oregon’s most magnificent old growth forests, and ways we can learn sustainability from Opal Creek’s intact ecosystem.
Presenter: Steve Wise, Development Director, Friends of Opal Creek

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