Thomas Jefferson High School receives $5,000 grant courtesy of State Farm® California
Los Angeles, CA, March 4, 2011 – Thomas Jefferson High School is seeing green, literally and figuratively. The school has just been awarded $5,000 as part of State Farm California’s Environmental Grant Program. The school will be recognized for their clean and green neighborhood program. Funding will support a project to create sustainable design proposals for neighbors’ yards living along a targeted alley adjacent to the school.
TJHS is one of five schools in California to receive the State Farm Environmental Grant, which goes to support student-led programs that focus on community and environmental efforts. TJHS’s green program will work with California State University of Los Angeles engineering students who will perform an engineering study on the alley to be submitted to the City of Los Angeles’ Green Streets Committee to consider for future implementation. The movement to create “Green Alleys” in cities is a growing phenomenon and Thomas Jefferson High School student are at the center of a strategic alley that is being targeted for improvement. The green alleys are to function as places for people to walk, bike, and skate safely, encourage a healthy lifestyle by also incorporating gardens, and bring neighbors together in the shared green space.
Programs considered for the grants needed to address an environmental initiative in driving, recycling, promoting healthy lifestyles, or community outreach. The programs also included intentional ties to classroom academics while addressing green issues.
“It has been inspiring to see the creativity and dedication of the student and schools,” said Heidi Worman, a State Farm claim section manager who helped jumpstart the environmental grant program. “We are excited to hear about the results of their projects and the continued impact on the community.”
The Green Alley project is the interdisciplinary project plan for tenth and eleventh grade classes in the Green Design Academy. The Academy’s ‘Career-Technical’ Education course sequence develops a career path for student to enter the engineering/architecture/trades career sector. CSULA and Trade Tech Community College are strong partners for the Academy. The Green Alleys project is integrated into the following academic courses:
“State Farm is committed to advancing education and these environmental grants further support our work in the service-learning field,” said Camille Garcia, State Farm Public Affairs assistant manager. “We applaud the efforts of all the schools who submitted grants and look forward to seeing each of the winning schools bring their visions to reality!”
Other California schools that will be receiving the grants include:
Samona Caldwell, State Farm Public Affairs, (310) 568-5826.
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