MATTAWA — Wahluke School District recently earned a national distinction as a Green Ribbon School District Sustainability Award winner.

The state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) nominated five districts or schools for a chance to be honored by the U.S. Department of Education. This year, all five Washington nominees received national recognition.

“One thing Wahluke has are dedicated district Garden and Sustainability Specialist and K-12 Science Instructional Specialist positions,” said Chuck Hubbard, K-12 science/STEM instructional specialist for Wahluke School District. “Part of their jobs are to work together to devise, implement and build capacity for sustainable programs district-wide, while also creating NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)-aligned, hands-on learning opportunities, that are tied to these sustainable practices like gardening and composting.”

The effort to become more energy efficient and green is a district-wide effort. All schools are phasing in LED light bulbs, and student bathroom sinks are on timers. Every building has water bottle filling stations. Staffers are eligible for and involved in ride-share programs. Cafeterias use local produce, and janitorial staff use eco-friendly cleaning products.

Wahluke’s three elementary schools, Mattawa Elementary School, Morris Schott STEAM Elementary School and Saddle Mountain Elementary, are part of a K-5 science learning cooperative that is part of Yakima Educational Service District 105. Wahluke Junior High participates in Salmon in the Classroom.

The district has a Learning Garden, at Mattawa Elementary, that all three elementary schools utilize. Students from all three schools have participated in an after-school garden club. The garden provides students with the opportunity to learn about composting on a small scale and vermiculture.

Mattawa Elementary and Morris Schott STEAM Elementary schools collect food waste. The other schools in the district have plans to do the same in the future. An area on the high school grounds has been established that can be used for composting the waste.

Read more about the district in the U.S. Department of Education’s report on Green Ribbon Schools at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/highlights-2020.pdf.

The other Washington schools honored were Carl Sandburg Elementary/Discovery Community School in Kirkland, Montessori Children’s House in Redmond, Pullman Public Schools and Seattle Public Schools.