Shreveport Highschool students have been recognized nationally for their efforts to help the environment.
The U.S. Department of Education recognized Caddo Magnet High school as a Green Ribbon school. Three schools were awarded this recognition in Louisiana, and Magnet was the sole one in North Louisiana.
“Magnethas been a well-known institution, academic and powerhouse. RobertMiddleton, Caddo Magnet School Principal, said that while this is part of who we all are, it’s not all.
To be considered a Green Ribbon school, a school must show that it has made significant efforts to reduce energy costs and environmental impact, improve health and well-being, and provide effective sustainability education. Magnet is one 27 schools that have been awarded this ribbon.
“I believe this is a culmination of all the hardwork and dedication that the amazing officials, sponsors like Ms. Procell, and students have put into making this campus more sustainable. Ashini Modi is co-president at Magnet’s Greens Club.
Dionne Procell Brownn is the sponsor for Greens Club at Magnet. This is a club that engages in a variety sustainability activities.
“I believe I have the best group of teachers in Louisiana. Middleton stated that Procellis is an excellent example of this and that her leadership on this issue is why the school is being designated as a National Green Ribbon School.
Procell joined Magnet in 201 as an international geography and world history teacher. Prior to joining Magnet, Procell was a teacher at Loyola College Prep, where she sponsored a similar Greens Club.
Procell gained a lot of knowledge while at Loyola and was able to apply that knowledge to green activities. This knowledge would be instrumental in the creation of Magnet’s painted recyclingbins that are scattered throughout campus.
Thesebins were first introduced in 2014 and helped to create the Green Ribbon school Magnet. Procell said, “I wanted kids to adopt a bin, no matter what elective classes or clubs they were in.” “Kids were supposed in charge of emptying recyclingbins… that is how this sort of thing got started.”
Procell isn’t a biology teacher like her predecessors. Instead, she finds beauty in the preservation of land with a wealth of history.
Procell stated, “When my youngest son went to Montessori I saw what they were doing with an outdoor classroom and a nature trail and it was just huge inspiration for us to kind of step up our game.” It inspired me to do more to get Magnet students, teachers and staff to learn more about the fascinating history and ecology of this special place we live in and to take better care.
How do I receive a Green Ribbon
Procell spent hours preparing the Green Ribbon presentation. It ended up being 18 pages of documentation about Magnet’s achievements in environmental service and stewardship.
These characteristics were described using three pillars.
- Reduce environmental impact and costs
- Students and staff can improve their health and wellbeing
- Make sure you have effective environmental and sustainable education
Each pillar had its own subcategories, which helped to cement the efforts Magnet made to make its campus sustainable.
Procell highlighted a subcategory in the reducing environmental cost and cost pillar that focused on improved water quality, efficiency, and conservation. Procell displayed Magnet’s model of environmental sustainability through service in this section.
Together with fellow teachers and staff, Procell has spent their time landscaping the campus.
This committee aims to create sustainable landscape solutions that are place-based by planting native plants that are pollinator-friendly and water-wise.
“I started to include more native plants, and pollinator-friendly flowers over many years. Procell said that we started to plant a lot of pollinator-friendly flowers for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
This is how the track field created the tenth-acre monarch waystation. Middleton stated that no matter what we do, we want it to be in service. “In this instance, it’s in the service of our local pollinators as well as the endangered monarch butterfly species because we are reducing native milkweeds national.
Magnet isn’t just saving the monarchs, but also saving the history of the land. The Green Ribbon inspires students and teachers to live and learn in the land they call home.
“The space that we have is incredible. Procell stated that this is a truly special place, as it’s a great place to place-based educate. “Place-basededucation, you kids are more likely to remember, whatever it is that they’re learning if they have a connection to the space, where they are.”
Makenzie Bocher is a reporter at the Shreveport Times. Contact her at [email protected].
