Project Learning Tree® GreenSchools! Program Expands With $25,000 Grant from Staples Foundation for Learning

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Project Learning Tree^® (PLT), the national environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation, announced today it has received a $25,000 grant from Staples Foundation for Learning (SFFL), a private foundation created by Staples, Inc. The grant will support GreenSchools!, a program designed to give students and teachers an opportunity to investigate environmental issues at their school and engage with their community in service-learning projects that create green and healthy environments.

The funding received from SFFL will help expand PLT GreenSchools! in Charlotte, NC; Dallas TX; and San Diego, CA. The projects will be created and implemented by students, and will address a wide range of environmental concerns in schools, including energy conservation, air and water quality, and waste and recycling. Each project, varying from replacing light fixtures with energy efficient bulbs to planting raised vegetable gardens or instituting a recycling program, will bring teachers, students and community members together create a greener environment at their school.

“GreenSchools! empowers youth to realize and maximize their full potential, address real community needs and understand their relationship with the environment,” said James McGirt, manager of PLT GreenSchools!. “Through Staples Foundation for Learning, Project Learning Tree will be able to expand the number of environmental projects we support in schools throughout the country.”

Through the program, teacher and student teams will monitor environmental conditions in and around their school grounds. Students will then develop an action plan for projects that will make a positive impact at their school. Through Staples’ support, grants will be awarded to schools to help them fulfill their projects.

Throughout the program, Staples and PLT will evaluate projects and select finalists from each of the three regions. These finalists will be recognized for their success in improving an aspect of their community’s environment.

“Project Learning Tree is dedicated to providing schools with quality environmental education programs that inspire students to create positive change in their communities,” said Amy Shanler, director of community relations for Staples, Inc. “Staples Foundation for Learning is committed to supporting educational programs like GreenSchools! that help students further develop their critical thinking skills and encourage them to take environmental action within their communities.”

About Project Learning Tree

Project Learning Tree^® (PLT) provides educators with environmental education curriculum that can be integrated into lesson plans for all grades and subject areas. PLT teaches students how to think, not what to think, about complex environmental issues, and helps them learn the skills they need to make sound choices about the environment. Developed in 1976, PLT has a 50-state network of more than 500,000 trained educators using PLT materials that cover the total environment. PLT is a program of the American Forest Foundation. For more information, visit www.plt.org.

About Staples Foundation for Learning

Founded in 2002, Staples Foundation for Learning has contributed to nearly 1,000 global, national and local charities that provide educational opportunities and job skills for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth. Staples Foundation for Learning builds lasting relationships with world-class organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Ashoka, Earth Force, TakingITGlobal, and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City. The foundation is the private charitable arm of Staples, Inc. and is an integral component of Staples Soul, which recognizes the connection between long-term business success and the impact Staples has on associates, communities and the planet. For more information about the foundation and Staples Soul, please visit www.staplesfoundation.org and www.staples.com/soul.