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Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tina McGovern 415-749-3600 ext. 19, outreach@gatewayhigh.org
Gateway High School Honored For Environmental Efforts
June 17th, 2010
Gateway accomplishes a 68% Reduction in Garbage Waste!
SF Environment presented Gateway High School with an Environmental Excellence award on May 11th, 2010 at San Francisco City Hall. Gateway has greatly increased recycling and composting throughout the school resulting in a 68% reduction in garbage waste, thanks to the awareness campaign run by Elizabeth Dubuque, Gateway’s School Secretary and School Garden Coordinator, and Environmental Science teacher Will Parish. Gateway was honored as one of the top four schools in San Francisco for excellence in adopting and implementing over two dozen school-wide green programs and practices.
Under the leadership of Ms. Dubuque and faculty member Aaron Watson, Gateway has launched programs that help students form healthy eating habits and learn to grow sustainable foods, including two living classroom gardens and Garden Chefs, a student-led gardening and cooking club. Last November the club hosted former Top Chef contestant Laurine Wickett, who demonstrated various cooking methods for vegetables to over 100 students and parents.
“We know that proper nutrition is directly linked to more focused learning, better concentration and fewer behavioral problems,” says Ms. Dubuque. “Our goal is to replace the highly-processed box lunches with healthier options, and our garden is a first step in bringing our school’s kitchen back to life, serving locally-grown organic ingredients and getting students involved in the entire process. Michelle Obama is setting a great example, and we agree that community gardens are the best way to teach the direct connection between food production, overall health and the environment.”
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