Steinmühle Has Been Newly Certified as an Environmental School
Steinmühle has once again been certified as an “Environmental School.” “Environmental School—Learning and Acting for Our Future” is an award presented by the Hessian Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection (HMUKLV) and the Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs in recognition of a school’s exceptional commitment to environmental and ecological education. The focus is on improving the quality of instruction and school life in the spirit of education for sustainable development. Students should receive support in developing the necessary skills to lead a sustainable lifestyle.
In addition to its general focus on environmental protection, nature conservation, energy efficiency, and the ecological design of the school grounds, Steinmühle had applied for certification based on two major projects during the two-year certification period.
Projects: Climate Protection, Energy, Environment, Food, and Health
The first project focused on climate protection and energy. These topics were developed and implemented as part of project-based learning and were subsequently incorporated into the school curriculum under the title “Energy: A Sociopolitical Challenge.”
The second project consisted of a health day featuring workshops on the topics of “environment,” “nutrition,” and “health.” The event aimed to raise awareness among the school community about sustainable approaches to nature and personal health, and to help students recognize the importance of the environment, nutrition, and health for themselves.
The schools received support from a total of ten regional environmental education centers in Hesse during the certification process.
“Schools are showing that they are taking responsibility”
“Today, we are honoring schools in Northern Hesse as ‘Environmental Schools’—schools that, through their exciting projects on topics related to sustainable development, have demonstrated their commitment to taking responsibility for their own actions,” explained Dr. Beatrix Tappeser, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment, during the presentation of the “Hessian Environmental School” award, which consists of a certificate and a plaque officially designating the school as an “Environmental School.” In addition to the well-known Environmental School plaque, the new plaque for the umbrella brand “Learning Sustainability in Hesse” was presented. The award ceremony took place in Fritzlar in the presence of Henning Smolka from the Roßberg Youth Forest Center, who is responsible for the Marburg environmental schools, and Steinmühle teacher Carmen Bastian, representing the Steinmühle’s Environmental Office.
For our school, this was a recertification. To retain the “Environmental School” designation, a school must reapply on a regular basis.
