Students help plant a garden at Rock Hall Elementary School as part of a Green School project. All five public schools in Kent County have been awarded Green School-status by the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education.
ROCK HALL — Kent County Public Schools is officially one of just three systems in the state of Maryland to have all schools receive Green School certifications.
The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) announced this spring that Kent County Middle School capped off this accomplishment by officially being recognized as a Green School.
"We are proud to announce that Kent County is 100% Green School certified," said Amelia Markosian, Kent County Public Schools' coordinator of accountability and instruction, at a May 12 Board of Education meeting.
Kent County High School was the first to earn the designation in 2016 and was recertified in 2023.
Also in 2023, Galena Elementary School received its Green School designation certification, followed by H.H. Garnet Elementary School and Rock Hall Elementary School in 2024.
Kent County Middle School received its award this year after demonstrating and documenting a continuous effort to integrate sustainable environmental management practices, environmental education curriculum, professional development opportunities and community engagement into its daily operations.
"The Green Program is essentially all about environmental literacy and being environmentally friendly," Markosian said. "We had partners involved, we had teachers involved and, of course, the kids."
Community partners include Echo Hill Outdoor School, the Kent Soil and Water Conservation District, the Sultana Education Foundation and Washington College.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Green Schools program. MAEOE’s mission is to encourage, engage and empower the community to understand, responsibly use and promote the natural world.
“Green Schools provide engaging and effective instruction by integrating environmental learning across all subjects," said Laura Johnson Collard, executive director of MAEOE, in a statement. "The results are powerful — we see students leading composting programs, conserving energy, joining environmental clubs and advocating for what is important to them."
Kent County Public Schools earned the Green School awards by establishing environmental leadership teams in each school, with students and staff collaborating on initiatives.
Students were enthusiastic about leading meaning environmental action projects at their buildings.
Teachers received specialized environmental education training and the curriculum incorporated a focus on Kent County's ecosystems.
None of this would have been possible without the community's support. Local business and organizations joined the effort, and experts visited schools and classrooms to share their knowledge.
"This is a big celebration," Markosian said.
Posted May 16, 2025