PRIDE honors local schools for environmental education

PRIDE has honored Whitley County Middle School, Corbin Middle School and Corbin High School for outstanding achievements in environmental education during the 2009-2010 school year.
The awards were presented Friday, Oct. 22, during ceremonies at the schools. In addition to a trophy, each school received $750 for its environmental education program.
“We are honored to work with the amazing teachers and students at these schools,” said PRIDE’s Mark Davis. “These dedicated teachers are truly making a difference in their students’ lives, and these young people are already leaving their mark on our community. On behalf of PRIDE, I thank them for their good stewardship and community service.”
Whitley County Middle School won a Rookie of the Year Award, which salutes innovation, growth or excellence by schools. WCMS is raising awareness about native Eastern bluebirds through two unique projects. Students have lined the school’s three-mile-long nature trail with bluebird boxes, which they monitor closely. At Walmart in Williamsburg, students installed bluebird boxes and a camera so nesting activity could be observed inside the store. WCMS also has an outdoor classroom.
Corbin Middle School won a Champion of the Earth Award for its exceptional programs and facilities for equipping students to transform their community and world. The CMS lunchroom has been Styrofoam free since 2008, when the PRIDE Club persuaded the school district to switch to reusable plastic trays. The school has a greenhouse, outdoor classroom, wetland area and recycling program. Students maintain bird and bat habitat on campus and in the adjacent city park. The PRIDE Club mentors elementary students and volunteers for local cleanup events.
Corbin High School won an All Star of the Year Award for all-around excellence in environmental education. CHS encourages participation by many students in a variety of hands-on activities. The PRIDE Club, UNITE and YSC members manage the school-wide recycling program, which was started last year. The FCCLA, Beta Club and National Honor Society members earn community service hours by picking up litter around the outdoor amphitheater. The CHS nature trail has plant identification markers, native plant gardens and animal habitat. 
PRIDE is a nonprofit organization that promotes “Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment” in 38 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky. It was founded in 1997 by Congressman Hal Rogers and James E. Bickford, the state’s Environmental Protection Secretary. The PRIDE web site is www.kypride.org