Foothill Middle School is a California Green Ribbon School!

Congratulations to Foothill Middle School in Walnut Creek, which has earned a 2024 California Green Ribbon Award for environmental excellence. It received a bronze level award for showing "entry level commitment" in three areas:

• reducing environmental impacts and costs;
• improving the health and wellness of schools, students, and staff; and
• providing effective environmental and sustainability education.

It first received a bronze Green Ribbon School award in 2018, when science teacher Devin Jackson submitted an application explaining how students in the after-school Environmentally Concerned Kids (ECK) Club work to divert waste from landfill into recycling and composting - and how the school educates students and families about eco-literacy. 

Building on that success, Jackson has continued to advise the club, which this year includes about 10 students in grades 6-8 who meet weekly for one hour after school to raise environmental awareness, and foster sustainable practices among students, with a goal of reducing the school's carbon footprint and qualifying for a Silver, Gold, or Green Achiever Green Ribbon School Award within the next 2 - 3 school years. This year, Foothill MS achieved 65% waste diversion and hopes to reach 80% or more by 2030, Jackson said.

"The E.C.K. Club's main initiative is a recycling and waste reduction program," he said. All students in the school can earn raffle tickets by correctly sorting waste and minimizing trash, with a chance to win prizes at the end of the year, which promotes a greener campus. The E.C.K. Club conducts trash collection walks and waste audits to manage and reduce school waste effectively. "This enabled us to reduce 65% of the landfill waste compared to 2021," Jackson said. In addition, the club has established a garden of approximately 600 square feet where students create their own compost, which enhances their learning environment and commitment to sustainability. "Looking ahead, we aim to expand this garden throughout the school to provide a vibrant space for students to engage with environmental issues," Jackson said. Club members also hope to build support for zero-waste sustainable climate change goals throughout MDUSD and Contra Costa County to generate community-wide solutions. 

"We want to spread awareness and create change in our world by thinking globally and acting locally" said club President Alex McCarty. Vice President Chloe Carey added: "As a club, we strive to teach our peers about the environment and what is happening in the world." Rhea Lokesh noted, "although educating others helps us grow, we also need to make change happen within ourselves." And Perry De Lucia said the club wants to create a native garden space "where students can talk and express themselves and their love of the environment." School pride also plays a role in their efforts. "We want the entire campus to be clean, and unlittered," said Sarika Puppala. Jackson, who teaches Science, STEM, STEAM, Engineering, Robotics and Environmental Literacy, engages students with his enthusiastic motto: "Science rocks and so do you!"

More information about the E.C.K. Club is on the school's website under "Foothill Clubs" here.