$10,000 in honorariums to be awarded in 2015 region‐wide search spearheaded by Wawa, 6abc and Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP.
The Environmental Community Service Award, presented by Wawa, 6abc, and the environmental law firm Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP (MGKF), celebrates a decade of supporting environmental programs that improve the local community.
The goal of the Environmental Community Service Award is to recognize schools (6th grade or higher) for their outstanding programs that enhance and improve the quality of life in their communities as well as raise awareness of environmental concerns. Understanding the importance of encouraging schools to institute environmental programs, media partner 6abc will help increase awareness of the award with their audiences throughout the Delaware Valley.
Each year two schools receive a $5,000 honorarium to further their environmental programs.
Applications are available on Wawa’s Website and are due March 9. Surprise presentations will be made at the winning schools prior to Earth Day, April 22, 2015.
Since the program’s inception, 18 schools in the tri‐state area have been recognized for their outstanding programs. Last year, The Pathway School in Norristown, Pa. won for its horticultural program to teach employability skills to students who have complex learning, emotional and behavior needs. The program has grown from a beautiful garden to a vegetable garden and greenhouse used for cooking, science classes and more.
South Philadelphia High School working with Lower Moyamensing Civic Association (LMCA) was also recognized for its garden which involves the work of over 200 students in biology, math, culinary arts, engineering, English, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and special education as well. The gardens involve all aspects of the curriculum and have expanded to support many neighborhood programs to address the lack of green space and fresh food options in South Philadelphia.
Jonathan Spergel, the managing partner of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP, is proud to be involved in the award this year. “2015 marks a decade of our support of environmental community service. I look forward to learning more about the impressive work being done by this year’s applicants and their positive impact on the community,” he said.
“We have always felt that this award program is a unique way to recognize students for their efforts to make our planet more sustainable and share their ideas and achievements with the community,” said Richard Wood, sustainability manager for Wawa.
In prior years, the winner schools have been Central Bucks High School West in Doylestown, Pa.; Abington High School in Abington, Pa.; Williamstown Middle School in Williamstown, N.J., Hatboro‐Horsham High School in Horsham, Pa., Charles F. Patton Middle School in Kennett Square, Pa.; Father Judge and Lincoln High Schools in Philadelphia; Epiphany of Our Lord School in Plymouth Meeting, Pa.; Interboro High School in Prospect Park, Pa.; St. Francis Xavier School in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia; Cedarbrook Middle School in Wyncote; Gateway Regional High School in Woodbury Heights, N.J.; W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences, Philadelphia.; Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School in West Phila; Friends Central Middle School in Merion, Pa.; and Camden High School in Camden, N.J.
The individuals who judge the programs are all experts in the field of the environment and science. They are representatives from The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, Pennsylvania and New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection, and Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control along with someone representing each sponsor—Wawa, 6abc, and MGKF.
