Our Winners! The Back To School Challenge
Who’s Green? and Whole Foods Market Tucson are proud to announce the winners of our 1st annual Back To School Challenge. We had great participation and received wonderful green ideas from our contestants and others who were such a great part of the success of the Back To School Challenge. As important as the ideas and essays, we made many new friends and we are all now talking about how we can make a greener community.
Students, parents and teachers in Southern Arizona were asked to illustrate and/or write a 300-500 word essay on how they will incorporate sustainability into your school this year. The Challenge was designed to foster an appreciation and understanding of the importance that each of us play in the role of greening our schools and community.
Isabella Ferrea, 7-year-old second grader, wrote about making recycling, reusing and conservation a part of her everyday life by making it both fun and an important part of her life every day. She writes about how school activities such as using the paper front and back, recycling water and watering plants. At home she talks of the importance of picking up trash, saving electricity, recycling and respect for the plants and animals that live with us on the planet.
Chris Hewgley and third grader, also talks about the challenge of making eco-friendly activities such as picking up trash, something that can be fun, productive and create a sense of accomplishment. He talks about how recycling in class and making his school lunches with whole foods in bringing them in reusable containers. Chris also incorporates eco-friendly transportation to and from school by riding his bike to reduce pollution.
Taking home the grand prize in the parents category was Mr. Hank Krzysik of Tucson. In his green essay, Krzysik wrote about green as a lifestyle from his daughter’s recycled lunch box, the home garden for fresh produce and several different fruits trees, water harvesting, native landscaping in the front yard. Kryzsik and his daughter Hannah even ride their bicycles back and forth to school to save on gas.
The Teacher award went to Ms. Stephanie Star of Khalasa Montessori in Tucson for incorporating the Back To School Challenge into her lesson plan, challenging and supporting her students’ participation in the contest. And because every student submitted an entry and became involved in the Challenge as class, every students was given a special Who’s Green Award of Merit which included a $20 gift certificate to Bookman’ Entertainment Tucson.
Ferrea was awarded a Whole Foods Market catered party for 10 of her friends, a Whole Foods $25 gift card, a Specialized Hot Rock Bike courtesy of Sabino Bikes along with a $100 gift card to Bookmans Entertainment Exchange
Chris was awarded a Whole Foods Market catered party for 10 of his friends, a Whole Foods Market $25 gift card along with $100 gift card to La Encantada, and $100 gift card to Bookmans Entertainment Exchange too!
A big thank you to our Back To School Challenge partners Tucson Medical Center, Central Arizona Project, Bookman’s Tucson, Pima Federal Credit Union and Tucson Value Teachers. We could not have done this without your support!
We also want to thank the following companies for their generous donations:
