The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) recently recertified Berry Elementary School, Henry E. Lackey high School and Thomas Stone High School as 2024 Maryland Green Schools. Eight other schools achieved Sustainable Schools level by MAEOE this year. Gale-Bailey Elementary School achieved Sustainable Bronze level due to the schools’ participation and support of the Green Schools program for 18 years. Schools must apply every four years to retain Green Schools status and this year 16 CCPS schools have the status. This is a 12% increase from 2023. The CCPS schools that have the status include Arthur Middleton, Berry, Dr. James Craik, Gale-Bailey, J.C. Parks and William B. Wade elementary schools; Theodore G. Davis, John Hanson, General Smallwood, Piccowaxen, Milton M. Somers middle schools; Henry E. Lackey, North Point, St. Charles, Thomas Stone and Westlake high schools; and the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center. The Maryland Green School program honors schools for their commitment to developing stewards of the Earth and reducing environmental impacts. The theme for this year is Healing Ourselves as We Heal the Earth. The program “provides a platform for schools to present environmental literacy and student connections to academics and their local environment,” Laura Johnson Collard, executive director of MAEOE, said. The Green School application process takes two years to complete and requires schools to demonstrate efforts to integrate sustainable practices, classroom integration of environmental issues, conservation practices and examples of existing community partnerships to enhance environmental learning. Schools must apply for recertification every four years and continue to demonstrate environmental education efforts. The Maryland Green Schools program also is aligned with the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement goals and supports the Maryland State Department of Education graduation requirements. Thirty-four percent of schools in Maryland have active Green Schools, and 45 Green Centers. MAEOE will celebrate Green Schools and Green Centers at the 25th annual Maryland Green School Youth Summit set for May 30 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Visit www.maeoe.org for information on the Green Schools program.