Westdale Middle School proudly hung its official U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School nominee banner on campus on Oct. 4, celebrating its outstanding commitment to sustainability and environmental education.
Although the U.S. Department of Education discontinued the Green Ribbon program due to budget cuts, Westdale was among the final schools nationwide to be selected for the prestigious recognition in the spring. In June, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education recognized Westdale’s achievement at its monthly meeting.
The Green Ribbon milestone reflects the visionary leadership of Dr. Lauraleigh Eddlemen, who played a key role in developing the school’s excellent aquaponics curriculum.
“Being recognized as a Green Ribbon School has truly been amazing,” Eddlemen said. “I love it because the students get the attention. The students haven’t gotten a lot of attention, and they need the positive attention to know what’s going on and they deserve it. That’s what matters the most.”
