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This is the most recently submitted Green Application! Here is all the projects we have undertaken.

March 15, 2008
#1 The school recycles paper. The school reuses its magazines and newspapers for other projects. These are ongoing projects.

1.The leadership class researched and instituted a school-wide paper recycling plan. Program began February 20, 2007 and continues with more teacher participation.
a. Classes recycle paper in the bin marked “Cardboard Only” from Waste Management, Inc. (Frank Lane) 48797 Alpha Drive Suite 150 Wixom, MI 48393 (800) 596-9696
a. Paper boxes are recycled and used as recycle containers for paper.
b. Principal, Ron Reed, approved community credit for students taking paper to recycle bins from Student Resource Time classes.
c. Waste Management, Inc. recently offered Milan High School reduced rate on our Cardboard Only recycle bin since our volume increased so much. Clear plastic bags that the custodial director ordered for us are being dispensed to staff. Bagging in clear bags is a requirement of Waste Management.

2.The library offers subscription and donated magazines. Once the magazines are outdated, they are placed in a box that students may choose for a variety of class projects including the frequent use by English classes that make collages. The pottery room and art class regularly use newspapers for projects in class. Other examples include, the Zoology class that uses newspapers for its baby chick project.

#3 The school media center updates its print and non-print ecological materials regularly.

1.Per Mrs. Mee, school librarian: The library updates its ecological materials at least every two years.

#5. The school hosts a visit by an ecological spokesperson, such as a representative of the Sierra Club, an endangered animal show, Home Depot energy saving demonstration, etc.

1.The Leadership class organized a presentation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for February 7 on endangered species awareness for freshmen and sophomores. Interested junior and senior classes also attended.

#6 The school has a birdhouse habitat project.

1.Each year, Mr. Brousseau completes a birdhouse habitat project with high school students and students from an elementary classroom. This project has been done for the past three years and is planned again for the spring of this year with Mrs. Anderson's first grade class.
2.Birdhouses have been placed around expressway entrance ramps.
a. This is a three day project in the spring that is coordinated with high school students and an elementary classroom.
b. The birdhouses are made and painted by elementary students with the help of high school students. c. Additionally, 100-175 trees are planted through the project.
c. The money is raised to cover the cost of the materials for the project at no cost to the school.

#10 The school has a printer cartridge recycling program through which the school earns money by selling the cartridges to 1 or more companies that buy cartridges from schools. This is a continuing project.

1.Leadership students researched companies.
2.Leadership students set up a recycle program for printer cartridges through a Participation Challenge competition with Student Resource Time classes.
3.Cartridges will be recycled through Staples this year. They will give the school store credit for cartridges.
4.Money collected for the cartridges will go to the high school library to purchase needed items.
5.Students are reusing large plastic food jars from the cafeteria as collection containers.
6.This year, the secretarial staff have been recycling our large printer cartridges.
7.The Milan Senior Center also contributes cartridges in a box the leadership students put in the center.

#11 The school recycles batteries and has designated a representative to return them to an appropriate recycling program. This is a continuing project.

1.Leadership students researched companies still accepting batteries.
2.Ann Arbor Recycling Center accepts the batteries.
3.Leadership students set up a recycle program for batteries through a Participation Challenge competition with Student Resource Time classes for the entire school.
4.The Leadership students have a recycling box at the Milan Senior Citizen Center on and regularly empty the box.
5.The Leadership students are designated to return the batteries to the Ann Arbor Recycling Center.

#12 The school teaches units on alternative fuels energy including ethanol, switch grass, and soy.

1.The Chemistry teacher, Mrs. Mossburg, teaches a unit on alternative fuel. She mainly focuses on ethanol, but touches on switch grass and soy. She talks about the advantages to alternative fuels and also she talks about the disadvantages to fossil fuels.

#13 The school observes Earth Day.

1.The leadership class plans announcements and a rotunda display to observe Earth Day.
2.Through the Leadership class, Milan High School is collaboration with York Township for an Earth Day event on April 19, 2008. Seniors are encouraged to help by gaining community service hours by help setting up. A number of students have signed up to volunteer for the entire day.

#14 Art classes at the school hold a poster contest to support ecology concerns and a school display in conjunction with Earth Day Activities (April 22).

1.The leadership class has a school-wide poster contest planned for Earth Day in April.
2.The posters will be given to display at the Earth Day event in York Township.
3.Leadership students wrote a grant to get more construction paper to encourage more classes to participate.
4.Money prizes and participation points will be awarded.

#16 The school has an ecology club.

1.An enthusiastic group of freshmen have formed an ecology club, Conservation Generation. They are active in promoting conservation of energy and preservation of the environment. They are currently researching a composting project and have gone through the necessary steps to obtain club status at our school and funding from the principal.

#18. Emerald Green: The school implements a tree planting program with at least ten seedlings which can be acquired free from a number of organizations including Michigan United Conservation Club. The trees are placed at north and west building exposures to help conserve energy.

1.Leadership students have met with the principal and building grounds supervisor to obtain approval to complete this project.
2.The trees will be obtained from Monroe County Soil Conservation and planted in the spring on the west side of the high school along the west driveway by Mr. Stahl's Future Farmers of America students.

#19. Emerald Green: The school has established a recycling program for CDs and DVDs.

6.Leadership students researched companies that accepts CDs and DVDs.
7.Ann Arbor Recycling Center accepts the CDs and DVDs.
8.Leadership students set up a recycle program for CDs and DVDs through a Participation Challenge competition with Student Resource Time classes for the entire school.
9.The Leadership students have a recycling box at the Milan Senior Citizen Center on and regularly empty the box.
10.The Leadership students are designated to return the CDs and DVDs to the Ann Arbor Recycling Center.

#23 Emerald Green: Students hold a letter writing campaign to local officials about an environmental issue.

1. Students wrote to Senator Richardville about reasons why he should support the Clean Water Action proposal in order to help protect our Great Lakes.
2. All students writing letters received a letter back from Senator Richardville. Through this project they learned that citizens do have a voice in what happens in their state.

#25 Emerald Green: The school keeps an active bulletin board or display case on the environmental news and what environmental activities the school is working on with pictures.

1.Leadership students created a web page on environmental news and activities.
a. The website URL is http://www.milanareaschools.org/~ebriggs/Leadership/ 2. The website will be maintained by students in the leadership class.

#5 Emerald Green: The school plants a rain guard garden around perimeter or partial perimeter of a parking lot

. 1.Leadership students researched the current water ponds around the school. They talked with Mr. Stahl, agricultural teacher, about the ponds and plantings.
2.Students learned that the addition of trees to the plantings will have a negative impact on the effectiveness of the ponds.
3.Students spoke with the energy manager, Kevin Upton, principal, Ron Reed, assistant superintendent, Bryan Girbach, and custodial director, Richard Zornow, about the concerns for keeping the ponds effectiveness levels high.
#8 Emerald Green: The school has a unit on the endangered health of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes and Great Lakes watershed are studied in Mr. Stahl's Natural Resources classes during the "water" unit.  While studying the hydrologic cycle and freshwater  resources, the Great Lakes must be a part of the curriculum because the Great Lakes is a vast supply of fresh water and it is valuable as  a resource to North America and the United States. Other topics studied while reviewing the Great Lakes include pollution, both chemical and sediment,  invasive species, and efforts to divert Great lakes water to those in need of water in other parts of North America.

# 12 Emerald Green: A class builds a raft or boat or a sculpture out of plastic water bottles.

1.Mr. Mark Rodan, school counselor, initiated a campaign to collect water bottles during school lunches. Leadership students assisted during the lunches to encourage students to recycle their bottles.
2.Leadership students placed boxes for collection of water bottles in both staff lounges and are regularly pick them up.
3.Mr. Jeff McVeigh, Transportation Technology teacher, is having his class build a boat from the recycled bottles as soon as they have 1000. Almost there!



Milan High School and the Leadership Class plan to continue our plans to save energy and help with conservation of our natural resources, not only for this certification, but in coming years. It is our goal to make our students good stewards of the earth to help not only our community, but our world.

Sincerely,
Maura Donahue
Milan High School
Leadership Class

Posted By Mrs. Briggs Leadership Class