Maryland's Largest School District
8301 Turkey Thicket Drive
Building A, First Floor
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
To schedule a
school outreach visit:
Sustainability Outreach Request Form
For questions or to report a sustainability concern:
240-740-3210
Sustainability@mcpsmd.org
Students should get involved and engaged in sustainability issues because we are on the receiving end of the issues we see with the environment today and in the future. The habits we grow accustomed to today will either set us up for success or failure for our environment and ourselves in the future.
If you’re interested about how you can get involved, reach out to your school SGA advisor about joining or starting a club to assist in fostering sustainability at your school! Montgomery County is home to several environmentally-centered student-led organizations such as the Student Climate Action Council (SCAC) and Eco MoCo! You can also learn more about opportunities to engage in student environmental stewardship here. And as minimal as it may seem, making a habit of turning off lights when not in a room, or shutting off water when you aren’t actively using a sink or shower truly helps in conserving resources!
Stay green MCPS!
Leul Dawit
Student Member
of the Board
Term Expires: June 30, 2027
Northwood High School
Students can drive real change! To start a Green Club at your school:
In 2023, the Montgomery County Board of Education established the Student Climate Action Council to give students an active voice on climate issues.
The council consists of 16 student representatives from across the county who work together to advocate for environmental action in MCPS.
The Sustainability and Compliance Team hosts an annual poster contest to promote environmental awareness, energy conservation, waste reduction, and recycling. Students and staff submit original artwork, and then vote online each spring to choose the winning entries.
Thank you to the over 2,300 students and staff who participated in online voting to select this year’s winning entries.
The creative designs highlighted the crucial importance of sustainability, energy conservation, waste reduction, and recycling while encouraging others to act as environmental stewards.
Congratulations to our first-place winners in each category!
Grades Kindergarten-2
Lilian Miyong Torres
Grade 2
Glenallen Elementary School
Grades 3-5
Abubakev Wardak
Grade 4, Somerset Elementary School
Grades 6-8
Remi Ojo-Ade
Grade 7
Briggs Chaney Middle School
Grades 9-12
Haley Chiou
Grade 9
Richard Montgomery High School
Digital Art
Ava Wisotzky
Grade 10
Albert Einstein High School
Staff
Katherine Hess
Classroom teacher
Seneca Valley High School
Looking for ways to earn SSL hours while helping the environment?
Search for environmental MCPS SSL opportunities
Peer Outreach With Energy Resources (P.O.W.E.R.) is a yearlong high school internship that empowers students to educate their community on energy savings.
Interns learn about energy use and local resources, gain hands-on experience with energy-monitoring tools, and develop strong communication skills. Throughout the program, students practice public speaking, create digital media, and deliver presentations at Montgomery County public libraries.
Learn more about P.O.W.E.R. program
Non-native, invasive plants pose a serious threat to the health of our local parks. Created in 1999, the Weed Warrior Volunteer Program empowers community members to work alongside Montgomery Parks staff to manage invasive plants on parkland.
You can help! Volunteers learn how to identify and safely manage invasive species using best practices. Since 1999, Weed Warriors have logged over 125,000 service hours, making a major contribution to protecting Montgomery County parks.
Conservation careers go far beyond biology and geology. A wide range of fields support the protection, restoration, and preservation of natural resources.
Our online guide highlights career pathways for students and young adults who:
Interested? Read the Conservation Careers Guide online.
