The Ecology Club students of Gwynn Park High School made some exciting news this year when they won the Howard University Environmental Sustainability Competition!

The sustainability competition – partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and W. W. Grainger – provided competing high schools with sustainability training.  Each team was provided mentoring, face-to-face and hands-on guidance from Howard students.  The teams then did research, designed projects, and submitted written reports on their school campuses.

The Ecology Club set out to complete an energy audit for their school.  In the end they had some major findings and created recommendations for the school that would make the school more sustainable.  Here are two of them:

• • Just as they did in ACE’s Unplugged competition, they found that their high school was wasting lots of energy with computers running overnight and on weekends.  The Ecology Club suggested that all school computers be turned off, and they hope to have it implemented next year.

• • They found lots of water being wasted in the bathroom faucet and suggested to get better faucets to control water output.

The team also suggested solar panels and rain barrels for the entire school.

A team of experts in sustainability judged the findings and recommendations from each school.  Out of 15 high schools, Gwynn Park placed first and was awarded the grand prize: $6,000 in scholarships!

Fist pump to Gwynn Park Ecology Club!