OHS achieves Evergreen status as a Michigan green school
For the past several years Onaway High School (OHS) has been making efforts to encourage substainable living. Led by the student body, projects such as the greenhouse and wind turbine have been researched, funded and constructed at the school.
?The kids are the front runners. Our students have demonstrated that a little school like ours can have a big impact,? said high school principal Marty Mix. Onaway High School is trailblazing the region?s path in place-based, environmental education and stewardship by working with local units of government and community outreach.
?We?ve worked closely with Brandon Schroeder of Michigan Sea Grant and Brenda Archambo of Sturgeon for Tomorrow and with their help have networked with people and businesses in our community as well as wrote grants through the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative to fund some of our projects,? said Myranda Anglin, a junior who took on the wind turbine project and brought it to fruition for the school.
Maureen Stine, Cheboygan Otsego Presque Isle Educational Service District county coordinator for Michigan Green Schools, presented the students at OHS with their official certification during the last week of school.
?There are 20 points the schools aim to achieve in this program. With most schools accomplishing several of those points. Onaway reached all twenty points, earning what we refer to as ?Evergreen? status, the highest ranking of the Michigan Green Schools Program. When I drove up to the school and spotted the wind turbine, I was amazed at their success,? said Stine.
Although Scott Steensma, who teaches the environmental studies class, helped launch the class he credits the students with doing the lion?s share of the work. ?The students did everything from writing the grants, contacting the vendors and getting the building permits. We trusted the students to take ownership and their successes continue each year,? said Steensma.