Grand Prairie schools recognized with Keep Texas Beautiful awards

by Kirk Dickey of Grand Prairie TODAY

Four Grand Prairie Schools and one city department will be given state environmental honors in July, after picking up 11 awards from Keep Texas Beautiful.

Tracy Hollis, Grand Prairie School District's Natural Science Education Center Program Director, said she was pleased with the awards, but not surprised by them.

“This is the third year in a row that Grand Prairie Schools has risen to the top as far as our environmental education programs,” Hollis said. I am extremely proud of them.”

The local award winners were:

Ruthe Jackson Youth Leadership Awards

Elementary division: Daniels Elementary Academy - second place; Dickinson Elementary - third place. Middle Schools

Middle School division: Adams Middle School Green Team - second place.

High School division: Grand Prairie High School APES (Advanced Placement Environmental Sciences) Class of 2007 - first place

Sadie Ray Graff Education Leadership Awards

Elementary school division: Dickinson Elementary - first place; Daniels Elementary Academy - second place.

Middle School division: Adams Middle School Green Team - first place.

High School division: Grand Prairie High School APES Class of 2007

Media Awards

Radio: James Aman of Grand Prairie

Television: Grand Prairie Solid Waste & Recycling Department - first place; KDEA Kids @ Daniels Elementary - second.

Hollis said the honors are just one way that the school district shows it and the city are dedicated about having a comprehensive environmental program for their students.

Keep Texas Beautiful President Debbie Johnston said the winning groups have distinguished themselves as outstanding environmental leaders in Texas.

“Their efforts to improve their community environment should inspire every Texan to do a little bit more to make our state a cleaner, more beautiful place,” Johnston said.”

The district's Green and Clean Campus Program is its strength. Supported in part by Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful and administered by the district, the Green and Clean Campus Program has been a force for environmental education in Grand Prairie schools for year and has become a standard-bearer for schools around the nation.

The year of 2005, the district was recognized as a National “Go Green School District,” so there is no doubt Grand Prairie is on the national stage,” Hollis said.

“The main thing is we want to get even better,” she said. “By no means are we doing all that we can. We can do even more.”

Hollis gave special thanks to Tammy Chan, who heads up KGPB for the city, who she said has helped with grants and other things.

“We are the sort of the extension into the classroom of the overall mission of what Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful is. We are one of the arms (of KGPB), really.

“I think that we will always have a Green and Clean Campus program, but It would not be as strong without the support of Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful, their commissioners, Tammy Chan and the city.”

The award winners will be recognized during the 40th Annual Keep Texas Beautiful Conference, July 10-14 in San Antonio. Information about the winners and the Annual Conference is available on the KTB website at www.ktb.org.