How Baltimore Students Make Your Community More Sustainable

Good habits formed at a young age can last a lifetime.

That’s why Constellation has supported more than 100 Baltimore schools and student ‘Green Teams’ in their efforts to learn about the importance of sustainability while making the community a cleaner, healthier and more attractive place to live.

On May 28, 54 public schools participated in the Green, Healthy, Smart Challenge through the Baltimore Office of Sustainability in partnership with the Baltimore Energy Challenge, Baltimore Community Foundation and City Schools.

By engaging in this project, participants can receive up to $1,000 per school or up to $1,500 for currently certified Maryland Green Schools from Constellation to implement projects that benefit the environment—such as growing gardens, planting trees and exploring efforts to conserve water and energy.

This year, nearly 400 students, teachers and families came together to celebrate their projects at The National Aquarium in Baltimore. Student-led teams hosted displays, listened to sustainability-themed speeches and received awards for their efforts.

One of the highlighted projects focused on the ways in which Federal Hill Preparatory School has used their monetary grant to create a ‘living wall’ inside their school lobby.

In addition to the living wall project, the school also hosts a ‘power down’ program that teaches children practical ways to conserve energy throughout the school.

“We’re impressed with their knowledge and their passion for sustainability,” said Pam Hill, Vice President of Strategic Systems & Business Operations at Constellation. “They talked about how sustainability more than just an individual effort.”

By participating in these projects now, students are gaining a “lifelong appreciation for the environment that circles back to the community,” Federal Hill Preparatory School volunteer Amy Thomas said.

Since the Green, Healthy, Smart Challenge began in 2010, Constellation has distributed more than $182,000 to local area schools. The projects serve an important purpose in educating tomorrow’s leaders on diverse and productive ways to conserve energy, promote sustainable efforts in their day-to-day rituals and even engage in healthier eating habits for students and parents alike.