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Roosevelt Academy Class Named Finalist in State Green School Awards

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Pictured are Roosevelt students Clay McCormick (l) and Tim Ray.

The Environmental Class at Roosevelt Academy in Lake Wales has been named one of three Class Finalists in the 2011 Florida Green School Awards Program. There were 103 applications in the contest, with 16 finalists being selected in one of four categories. Roosevelt Academy was the only public school from Polk County to be named as a finalist.

The Award was announced by the Florida Department of Education (DOE) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) last week. The program began on Earth Day 2009 at the Capitol in Tallahassee and includes state agencies and a number of community partners as sponsors.

The class teacher, Ray Cruze, implemented the program named Roosevelt Farms in 1995, a 10,000 square foot garden with more than 1,800 plants and vegetables. The program teaches students with learning disabilities how to grow and maintain crops without using harmful chemicals, while also conserving water. Students distribute the produce locally in Lake Wales with the profits from the crop sales used to support a housing program for women and children. The students participate in all aspects of the farming process.

The Florida Green School Awards Program is a partnership between DOE, DEP, Florida's Foundation, and the Sustainable Florida Program. Eligible projects were categorized in five themes: recycling, green learning environments, exemplary green curriculum, green service learning projects, and green policies or partnerships.