The U.S. Department of Education announced yesterday that Mill Hill Elementary School in Southport, CT is among the 2023 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees.
Mill Hill Elementary School has an active Green Team that has worked tirelessly to increase green practices, including Food Recovery, Trex Plastic Bag Recycling, and launching a Cafeteria Milk Carton Recycling Program. The Mill Hill Green Team collaborates with the Sustainable Fairfield Task Force, and through this school-community partnership established a Coalition of Fairfield Public Schools. They have a visible, public presence and widespread commitment to reducing environmental impacts and costs throughout Fairfield Public Schools. As a leader in this effort, Mill Hill is fully implementing its cafeteria composting program. The school has installed an easily accessible water bottle refill station. The Green Team has created innovative ways to reuse and upcycle, including hosting a Halloween Costume Exchange, a town-wide Pumpkin Composting Program, Lego RePlay program, and The Crayon Initiative. The school has a year-round Outdoor Ecological Learning Environment, including native plant gardens that serve as beneficial local habitats and pollinator pathways.
Across the country, 26 schools, 11 districts, and four postsecondary institutions are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.  The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 18 states.
Mill Hill Elementary School will be honored in person this summer by The U.S. Department of Education at the national Green Ribbon Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. Special thanks go to Elly Fatehi, Leader of the PTA’s Green Team at Mill Hill, and Laena DeMelo, Elementary Program Facilitator at Mill Hill, for leading the school’s award-winning application.
Please join COEEA in congratulating everyone at Mill Hill on their wonderful green accomplishment!
You can view their nomination package here.
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