6 BCPS Schools Recognized For Sustainable Practices

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Two Catonsville schools have been honored for their participation in the inaugural “Green 60: Our Planet, Our Home” interschool challenge coordinated by the Baltimore County Student Councils Environmental Committee.

The challenge, held April 12 – 23, encouraged students to earn points for their schools by participating in sustainable practices. Students from the honored schools engaged in packing/eating waste-free lunches, recycling, picking up trash, making art with natural and recycled materials, having tech-free classroom time, using natural light only in classrooms, turning off lights at home, making signs and posters to encourage sustainable practices and planting gardens.

The following schools were honored this week for their outstanding participation:

• Hillcrest Elementary School, teacher coordinator: Mary Beth Capka
• Pleasant Plains Elementary School, teacher coordinator: Megan McFadden
• Catonsville Middle School, teacher coordinator: Aaron Sporik
• Cockeysville Middle School, teacher coordinator: Autumn DeBorde
• Eastern Technical High School, teacher coordinator: Jen Brager
• Towson High School, teacher coordinator: Holly West

Each winning school received a banner highlighting its outstanding participation, a certificate of participation and reusable sporks for the students who participated. All other schools received a certificate of participation.

“I am so shocked that a really vague idea I had back in 2019 became such an amazing endeavor to coordinate, plan and just have fun with,” Meghna Chandrasekaran, BCSC environmental affairs director and environmental committee chair and a graduating senior at Western School of Technology, said about the campaign. “I didn't expect the amount of participation we had with over 700 entries from schools and it just made me hopeful that the future student leaders are rising.”

Chandrasekaran anticipates participation doubling next year, especially when most students are back in their school buildings.

"I have planned many exciting in-person activities for Green 60 to connect feeder elementary and middle schools with their high schools to promote environmental leadership. I am excited to see how Green 60 will progress in the upcoming years and stay as a tradition for Baltimore County Public Schools," she said.