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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, together with White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe announced that three New York schools – Crompond School, PS 057 Hubert H. Humphrey School and Rye Country Day School – are among the 14 districts and 64 schools named 2013 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools. New York State is among 29 states and D.C. with schools receiving the second annual awards.

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools is a federal recognition program that launched in September 2011. Selected schools are honored for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including civics and green career pathways.

Crompond School, Yorktown, NY lives up to its motto "Always Responsible, Never Excuses" with emphasis on individual responsibility and environmental consciousness including participation in the Ford Challenge to create a future car model that reduces the carbon footprint. PS 057 Hubert H. Humphrey School, Staten Island, NY provides students with project-based learning centered around environmental education including energy conservation, climate change, ecological restoration, composting, recycling and gardening. Rye Country Day School, Rye, NY provides a multi-faceted program focusing on energy and resource reduction, recycling, environmental activities, campus gardening, and community education.

"The Board of Regents and I congratulate the Crompond School, PS 057 Hubert H. Humphrey School and Rye Country Day School," said State Education Commissioner John B. King, Jr. "These three schools haveÌýdemonstrated exemplary efforts toÌýensure a sustainable andÌý'green' school environment and the students, faculty and staff of each school deserve to be recognized for their work."Ìý

"Today’s honorees are modeling a comprehensive approach to being green," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "They are demonstrating ways schools can simultaneously cut costs; improve health, performance and equity; and provide an education geared toward the jobs of the future. In fact, the selected districts are saving millions of dollars as a result of their greening efforts. And the great thing is that the resources these honorees are using are available for free to all schools."

The 2013 Green Ribbon School honorees include 54 public schools and 10 private schools. In addition, 14 districts were honored for the first-ever District Sustainability Award. The public schools include seven charter, five magnet and four career and technical schools.Ìý The schools serve various grade levels, including 40 elementary, 23 middle and 19 high schools, with several schools having various K-12 configurations, from 29 states and the District of Columbia. Over half of the 2013 honorees serve a student body more than 40 percent of which is eligible for free and reduced price lunch.Ìý The list of all selected schools and districts, as well as their nomination packages, can be foundÌý.Ìý A report with highlights on the 78 honorees can be foundÌý.

"Preparing students for success in the 21st century economy begins in our schools. The schools and districts being honored today are modeling the best practices in reducing environmental impact and cutting costs, creating a healthier learning environment, and providing students with an education geared toward the jobs of the future," said Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley.

"EPA is proud to join the Department of Education in recognizing our nation's U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools for their remarkable efforts to create healthier learning spaces and educate students on the importance of environmental protection," said EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools are not only cutting costs thanks to energy-saving practices and use of more efficient technology, but they're also reducing instances of pollution-related illnesses like asthma, a leading cause of student absence. The students who attend these schools are better prepared than ever to become the next generation of environmental stewards and bring about a healthier, more sustainable future."

The U.S. Department of Education will publish updated competition criteria this summer for the third year of the award. State education agencies are encouraged to indicate intent to nominate schools in 2014 by August 1, 2013.