
To
continue
the
focus
on
energy
conservation
throughout
Prince
William
County
Public
Schools
(PWCS),
the
PWCS
Energy
and
Sustainability
team
hosts
the
Energy
Challenge
each
year.
Students
and
staff,
whether
working
as
individuals,
classes,
clubs,
or
teams,
are
encouraged
to
help
grow
the
culture
of
sustainability
in
the
Division
by
completing
a
certain
number
of
energy-saving
tasks.
Registered
participants
also
qualify
and
can
earn
a
$1,800
rebate.
During
the
2020-21
school
year,
68
schools
received
this
rebate
based
on
their
participation,
and
they
were
encouraged
to
use
these
funds
to
further
their
own
sustainability
efforts.
The
Green
Team
at
Neabsco
Elementary
School,
for
example,
used
their
funds
from
this
past
school
year
to
build
six
raised
garden
beds,
or
"grade
gardens,"
in
their
central
courtyard.
"Prior
to
[the
pandemic],
we
had
the
students
do
a
biodiversity
audit
at
the
school
grounds,
and
they
found
we
had
very
little
plant
diversity,"
said
Mary
Wang,
English
for
speakers
of
other
languages
teacher
and
sustainability
coordinator
at
Neabsco
Elementary.
"There
wasn't
anything
to
attract
birds
or
any
type
of
pollinators,
so
that
became
our
first
goal."
With
one
garden
designated
per
grade
level,
the
hope
is
that
students
and
staff
will
turn
their
maintenance
of
these
gardens
into
learning
opportunities.
Students
will
learn
about
the
components
of
the
garden,
such
as
the
compost
and
perennials,
while
practicing
different
types
of
responsibility.
"Neabsco
Elementary
School
is
really
big
on
integrative
learning.
I
also
believe
that
an
experience
today
provides
inspiration
tomorrow,"
said
Wang.
"We're
always
looking
for
ways
to
teach
kids
life
skills
and
life
responsibility.
Their
work
can
remain
constructive
while
doing
so
like
pulling
weeds
or
watering
plants."
As
the
gardens
continue
to
grow,
the
Green
Team
hopes
that
more
learning
opportunities
will
grow
with
it.
There
are
plans
for
more
projects
within
the
courtyard,
such
as
having
the
gardens
also
function
as
sensory
beds
for
students
with
autism,
and
they
do
seem
possible,
thanks
to
the
start
from
the
Energy
Challenge.
"We
would
love
[our
sustainability
projects]
to
become
a
community
thing,"
said
Wang
"There's
not
answers
to
everything
yet,
so
we
think
this
has
been
and
is
a
great
way
to
bring
everyone
together."
Specific
details
regarding
the
Energy
Challenge
for
the
2021-22
school
year
are
forthcoming.
Updates
will
be
posted
to
the
Energy
Challenge
webpage.
Schools
that
received
the
Energy
Challenge
rebates
for
the
2020-21
school
year:
Alvey
Elementary
School
Battlefield
High
School
Bel
Air
Elementary
School
Belmont
Elementary
School
Benton
Middle
School
Brentsville
High
School
Bristow
Run
Elementary
School
Buckland
Mills
Elementary
School
Bull
Run
Middle
School
Cedar
Point
Elementary
School
Chris
Yung
Elementary
School
Coles
Elementary
School
Charles
J.
Colgan
High
School
Covington-Harper
Elementary
School
Ellis
Elementary
School
Enterprise
Elementary
School
Featherstone
Elementary
School
Fitzgerald
Elementary
School
Forest
Park
High
School
Fred
M.
Lynn
Middle
School
Freedom
High
School
Gainesville
Middle
School
Gar-Field
High
School
Glenkirk
Elementary
School
Graham
Park
Middle
School
Gravely
Elementary
School
Hampton
Middle
School
Haymarket
Elementary
School
Henderson
Elementary
School
C.D.
Hylton
High
School
Independence
Nontraditional
School
Jenkins
Elementary
School
Kerrydale
Elementary
School
Kilby
Elementary
School
Kyle
R.
Wilson
Elementary
School
Lake
Ridge
Middle
School
Loch
Lomond
Elementary
School
Marshall
Elementary
School
Marstellar
Middle
School
Marumsco
Hills
Elementary
School
Mary
Williams
Elementary
School
McAuliffe
Elementary
School
Minnieville
Elementary
School
Mountain
View
Elementary
School
Mullen
Elementary
School
Neabsco
Elementary
School
Occoquan
Elementary
School
Parkside
Middle
School
Patriot
High
School
Pattie
Elementary
School
Pennington
Traditional
School
Piney
Branch
Elementary
School
Potomac
View
Elementary
School
River
Oaks
Elementary
School
Rockledge
Elementary
School
Rosa
Parks
Elementary
School
Sinclair
Elementary
School
Springwoods
Elementary
School
Sudley
Elementary
School
T.
Clay
Wood
Elementary
School
Triangle
Elementary
School
Tyler
Elementary
School
Unity
Braxton
Middle
School
Unity
Reed
High
School
Victory
Elementary
School
Woodbridge
High
School
Woodbridge
Middle
School
Yorkshire
Elementary
School