The Clark County Green Awards is an annual celebration of our community's best environmental champions. Awards are given to recognize outstanding sustainability work being done by individuals, organizations and businesses in Clark County.
The awards presented are:
- Green Apple Award - for an individual involved in school (public or private) sustainability initiatives, projects and programs.
- Green Team Award - School Green Team of the Year celebrates the incredible students who participate in their school’s green team and work on environmental projects to create a healthy and sustainable culture around campus.
2024 Green Apple Award Winners
Jennifer Baybado, Sacajawea Elementary School
Jennifer is a third-grade teacher at Sacajawea Elementary School in Vancouver. She inspires her green team to be true sustainability champions. Together, they implement programs to help students reduce waste, properly recycle and compost their food scraps. Jennifer has also taken the lead on creating an outdoor learning area with raised garden beds, work bin benches and outdoor seating for students to learn and grow. She truly walks the walsk and talks the talk; we are so luck to have her be a part of our amazing school community!
Linda Kubes, Washington State School for the Blind
Linda is a teaching assistant at the Washington State School for the Blind. Over the last few years, she has led the green team, otherwise known as the Green Beings, in completing sustainability projects around campus. Those projects include organizing litter cleanups, composting using worm bins and improving recycling on campus. Last year, Linda helped the Green Beings receive the 2023 Green Team of the Year Award. Student Charles Johnson perfectly describes Linda: "Ms. Linda sees the potential in all students who are part of the Green Beings and even though we may not all have perfect sight, she sees that we can all be a part of sustainable future." Thank you for being a true leader, Linda!
2023 Green Apple Award Winner: Mark Watrin
The annual Clark County Green Apple Award is presented for an individual involved in school (public or private) sustainability initiatives, projects and programs. The 2023 award winner is Mark Watrin!
Mark Watrin is a retired science educator and current member of the Battle Ground Public Schools Board of Directors. In retirement, Watrin volunteers to build outdoor learning spaces, construct school gardens and lead habitat restoration projects in Battle Ground Public Schools and Vancouver Public Schools. Some of his projects have included a native habitat garden at Laurin Middle School and raised garden boxes at Minnehaha Elementary School.
2023 Green Team of the Year Awards
This award celebrates the amazing students who participate in their school's green team and work on environmental projects to create a healthy and sustainable culture around campus.
Elementary School Green Team of the Year: Illahee Elementary
The Illahee Elementary School green team has student members in third through fifth grades, as well as parent volunteers and the school custodian. Students on the green team are responsible for caring for the school's outdoor learning spaces, reducing waste around school, and educating other students on the importance of sustainability. The school's outdoor classroom is one of the largest projects completed by the green team.
High School Green Team of the Year: La Center High School
The La Center High School green team, Environmental Action Team, is leading a districtwide sustainability project to collect food scraps for compost at all La Center schools. The green team students also manage a large natural school garden, complete stream monitoring projects, raise salmon hatchlings in the classroom, lead habitat restoration projects and coordinate events that celebrate school sustainability. The Environmental Action Team is also working to construct a green shed on campus that will be equipped with rain barrels, native plants and solar panels.
Mixed Grade Green Team of the Year: Washington State School for the Blind
The green team at the Washington State School for the Blind, the Green Beings, launched last year and has 11 members. The team started using redworms to compost food waste and coffee grounds from the school's coffee shop. Students on the green team have worked with Clark County Green Schools and Waste Connections to set up accessible recycling locations throughout the school. And they have adopted a city block and participate in regular litter clean-up efforts.
Green Award Trophies
This year's award trophies are extra special. Winners will receive unique trophies crafted by students at Washougal High School and made entirely from recycled materials.
