George School is monitoring its weekly electricity usage during the month of February as part of the national Green Cup Challenge for schools, the first and only national, student-driven interscholastic energy challenge that builds awareness about climate change and the environment, educates about resource conservation, and encourages participating schools to involve all members of their campus communities.

This year’s challenge includes 150 participating schools—boarding, day, public, and private—in twenty-three states and Canada. George School’s efforts are sponsored by TERRA (the school’s chapter of the Sierra Student Coalition) and the Environmental Stewardship Steering Committee (ESSC), a group of George School students, faculty, and staff who encourage sustainability efforts on campus. In preparation for the challenge, George School plant operations staff met with students to discuss energy conservation tips.

Sophomore Andrea Lindsay, an ESSC member from Yardley, Pennsylvania, said that the challenge is an opportunity for the school community “to work together to gain a better understanding of how our electricity usage is directly impacting the environment and to make some permanent changes to become more energy efficient.”

Senior Chloe Collins, a TERRA member from Mullica Hill, New Jersey, commented, “It is important for students to remember to do little things like turn off the lights when they leave a room or ensure that their windows are fully closed to help with heating efficiency. Taking the initiative to do seemingly small tasks can make a difference.” She added, “Ideally the actions that people take to conserve energy during the Green Cup Challenge will become habit and will be incorporated into their daily routines.”

George School science teacher Kathy Coyle, sponsor of TERRA and co-clerk of the ESSC, noted, “The Green Cup Challenge focuses on working together to improve energy conservation. Students are encouraged to communicate with participants at other schools to learn about their efforts and share their own experiences.”

George School’s weekly energy usage during the challenge will be compared to the school’s three-year average energy usage on the same dates. At the conclusion of the event, schools will be recognized individually and on a state or regional basis for energy reduction, determined by percentage of improvement, total savings, and usage per student or square foot.

About George School
Founded in 1893 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), George School, a rigorous coed boarding and day school for grades nine through twelve, educates students from twenty-one states, thirty-two foreign countries, and a variety of ethnic, racial, religious, and economic backgrounds. Through its commitment to diversity and the Quaker values of equality, integrity, and peacemaking, George School inspires students to be led by their own truths while respecting and appreciating opinions and beliefs different from their own. George School was one of the first schools in the United States to implement an International Baccalaureate diploma program. For information about admission, please call 215.579.6547 or visit http://www.georgeschool.org.