The 50th anniversary of Earth Day was a much-anticipated event for communities, especially schools who had great plans to come together for environmental service and learning celebrations. Then COVID-19 hit, schools closed their doors and people were asked to stay home.
Despite these hurdles, districts, students and families across the U.S. found creative ways to celebrate Earth Day. Members of the Center for Green Schools' K–12 School District Sustainability Leaders Network shared ideas among the community and designed ways to alter their Earth Day 2020 plans to accommodate virtual and at-home activities. Including ideas like a sustainability bingo game, student upgrades of their home recycling bins and eco-awards, these district activities made the best of an unfortunate situation.
Students in Fairfax County, Virginia, share their enthusiasm for Earth Day.
See the social media shares from a few of our favorite projects:
- New York Department of Education, New York
- Arlington School District, Massachusetts (plus, watch a video on why Arlington students love Earth)
- Austin Independent School District, Texas (then, view a video recapping Maplewood Elementary School’s activities)
- Douglas County School District, Colorado
- Fairfax County Schools, Virginia
Learn more about the School District Sustainability Leaders Network