PS 31 Samuel F. Dupont:  2016 Winner, Elementary School Section.  Demonstrated creativity and interdisciplinary work in integrating sustainability into their language arts program. Taking inspiration from "The Garden of Happiness" students used this as springboard for integrating gardens on every grade level. They also use yoga and mindfulness to creating a holistic program of health, wellness, science, literacy, and the arts for everyone. The exhibit had excellent examples of student work including a garden quilt, poems, and garden designs. Students and teachers were on hand to discuss their projects and demonstrated a high level of understanding of sustainability that cut across curriculum areas.  

MS 50 John D. Wells: 2016 Winner, Middle School Section.  Recycling and up-cycling champions! A team of students with their principal were on hand to show and teach visitors to their table how to create useful items from plastic bottles, wine corks, old frames and cardboard boxes.The projects reflected a high level of creativity and innovation. This exhibit clearly demonstrated ways to be more sustainable in your community through many creative projects. The students were open to suggestions in how to expand their knowledge to other students in their school and members of the community.

OUR ESTEEMED GO GREEN JUDGES

Isabelle Garbani is a Brooklyn based artist.  After working for 7 years as a commercial digital artist, Isabelle returned to graduate school where she received an MFA in sculpture from the New York Academy of Art in 2004. Isabelle now works in mixed media, using feminine crafts such as knitting, crochet and lace with recycled plastic shopping bags used as thread. Among her installations are Knit for Trees on Governors Island in New York City in 2011, Invasive Species for the Cheng-Long International Environmental Art Project in Taiwan in 2012, and for the 2014 Farm/Art Dtour in Reedsburg, WI. She is currently working on a large scale installation at the Brooklyn Army Terminal called Post War Blues, for which she received a Community Arts Grant from the Brooklyn Arts Council. She uses plastic shopping bags collected from friends, neighbors, co-workers, and picked up directly from the sidewalks. As an art material, plastic represents technological advances with amazing potential and drawbacks: it is indispensable and it is completely unnecessary; it is vital to our modern lives and it is harmful to our environment; it is a true technological achievement and a sign of our failure.  www.isabellegarbani.com

Mary Leou is Clinical Associate Professor of Environmental Conservation Education and founding Director of the Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education established in 2000 with a generous gift from the Johanette Wallerstein Institute. She is also the Director of the Environmental Conservation Education Graduate Program in the Department of Teaching and Learning.  Over the past 13 years, she received over $1.5 million in grants and gifts for developing environmental education programs at NYU serving teachers, K-12 schools, and non-formal organizations. In 2012 she received a $250,000 gift to launch the Jane Wallerstein Children & Nature Project. Formerly the Director of Education of City Parks Foundation, she worked on one of the largest urban forest restoration projects in New York City, affording her the opportuntiy to educate people of all ages about New York City's natural areas. She serves on numerous boards and state-wide committees and is the former Chair of the Environmental Education Advisory Council of NYC. She has over 27 years of experience in urban environmental education developing programs for teachers, K-12 students, and curricula for formal and non-formal education settings. She has received numerous awards for her work including two Environmental Quality Awards from the Environmental Protection Agency for leadership in environmental education. In 2012 she was recognized by the National Audubon Society as a "Woman Greening the City" and at present co-chairs the NYS Environmental Literacy Committee; a state-wide coaliton of organizations engaged in developing an environmental literacy plan for the State of New York. www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/faculty_bios/view/Mary_Leou

Click to download a PDF flyer.

Have you made summer plans for your kids yet? Spaces are still available for the awesome Greenpoint Chess Camp!  1st week of camp starts next Monday, June 29th. Matches, lessons, games like musical chess, playground time, pizza, ice-cream and more!  Click here for info & to register. 

EXTENDED CAMP DAYS!  8-6 PM options are also available for working parents.  

Click to download a PDF flyer.

Town Square's SummerSTARZ free family movie nights are back!  6 wonderful Friday nights are planned for Transmitter Park on the gorgeous Greenpoint waterfront!  Bring a picnic blanket, friends & family, and have an awesome time! 

The first movie night is Friday, July 10th, featuring NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 3: SECRET OF THE TOMB.

Check out the first ever North Brooklyn Sustainability Map below and at gogreenbk.nyc. VICE generously designed the infographic below.  This is an evolving work-in-process and we'll be looking to you for your input. Visit gogreenbk.nyc to learn more. 

Want to spend $5 MM? Have an eco idea for Greenpoint?  Can you write grants?  Are you interested in developing proposals for a green conference, green job fair, Greencycle Swap upcycling projects, an eco bus, etc?  Please contact Town Square at gogreen@townsquareinc.com.