Southern California Schools Save Money, Win Prize

Washington, D.C., October 29, 2004 – Amidst news of mounting gasoline and other energy costs, the students of San Bernardino, Calif.’s San Gorgonio High School have not only come up with innovative ways to save energy and money, they have also won the top prize in the Alliance to Save Energy’s Earth Apple Awards competition. The students’ energy-saving initiatives saved the school more than $6,000 (about 2 percent) in electricity costs during the 2003-04 school year.

San Gorgonio came out on top in this year’s competition thanks to its innovative and comprehensive energy efficiency activities. Students were responsible for having energy tips printed on the backs of the school’s Dress Code T-shirts; they offered free root beer floats to students who attended energy efficiency presentations, and they planted trees, distributed energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs, and created a web site for the school’s Environmental Club. The high school students also brought their message to local elementary schools.

Andrew Santos, a San Gorgonio student said, “I feel like I have made a difference this year. I also helped others, young and old, get to the same point. It is going to take everyone’s help to make this a clean and happy world, but I truly believe we must work with the young, primarily because they are still open to these ideas. It has been a great year.”

The Earth Apple Awards, an international contest for K-12 schools, are part of the Alliance to Save Energy’s Green Schools program and are open to any school that teaches and implements energy efficiency. The awards acknowledge student involvement in community activities, education, and efficiency projects. Given a few options, San Gorgonio chose a digital camcorder as their First Place prize. Second place usually includes a choice between a digital camera and a Green Schools toolkit, and the third place winner receives a digital camera.

The Earth Apple awards also recognized another Southern California school this year. Sultana High School tied for second place with Rochester, New York’s Wilson Magnet High School. At Sultana High students and staff worked together to install automatic timers on printers, computers and TVs. They also stressed smart energy practices to reduce electricity consumption.

The Alliance to Save Energy will coordinate an awards ceremony to recognize the first place school. It will be held in Washington D.C. in early 2005.