Christ the King Catholic School Wins Green Ribbon School Honor
Leesburg, VA – The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has announced the 2021 National Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. Christ the King Catholic School, Jacksonville, FL, Diocese of St. Augustine, was among the 27 school awardees out of the 40 schools honored across the country. The only Catholic school to win this honor and the only school in Florida.
The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 20 states. The selectees include 24 public schools – among them, five charter schools and one magnet school – as well as three nonpublic schools, including Christ the King. Christ the King also is a National Blue Ribbon School and in 2020 was awarded the Florida EPA Green Apple Distinction for its commitment to conserve and protect Florida's natural resources. It is the first school in Duval County to receive the award.
The aim of DOE Green Ribbon Schools is to inspire schools, districts and institutions of higher education (IHE) to strive for 21st-century excellence by highlighting promising practices and resources that all can employ. The award recognizes schools, districts and IHEs that embody these three pillars:
- Reduce environmental impact and costs;
- Improve the health and wellness of schools, students and staff; and
- Provide effective environmental and sustainability education.
In its nomination packet, Christ the King explained its goal for being good stewards of the earth: "At Christ the King we oppose the status-quo. We strive to improve and keep growing. This is why we are pursuing a National Green Ribbon. These three pillars exemplify Catholic Social Teaching – a reflection point for every Universal Mission project at Christ the King. These teachings guide one’s decisions towards the betterment of our fellow man and our environment. Our actions and decisions must consider others. Our goals remain steady for the future. We are building a culture of STEM, and environmental stewardship at CTK that allows students to tackle local problems, be creative in designing a solution, and communicate their ideas through actions and words."
The full nomination for Christ the King can be read on the DOE website as well as the list of the 2021 National Green Ribbon Schools.
For more information, visit www.NCEA.org and connect with NCEA on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
###
In service of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, NCEA strengthens Catholic school communities by providing professional development, formation, leadership and advocacy.