USGBC Honors 2025 Best of Green Schools Award Winners for Leadership in Sustainable Education

March 3, 2025 – Orlando, Florida – Today, the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Green Schools National Network (GSNN) announced the 2025 Best of Green Schools Awards recipients, recognizing top schools, school districts, lawmakers and others who work to advance safer and more resilient schools across communities. Among this year’s recipients are Denver Public Schools, a K–12 school in Colombia and the sustainability director for the Austin Independent School District.

The annual recognition was announced at the 2025 Green Schools Conference in Orlando in collaboration with GSNN. The Green Schools Conference is the only event to unite everyone involved in creating and advocating for green schools. The two-day event provides a platform for the green schools community that inspires and facilitates the movement’s progress.

“This year’s Best of Green Schools awardees are individuals and organizations dedicated to improving our schools and creating healthy and resilient learning environments,” said Anisa Heming, director at the Center for Green Schools. “The awards are an opportunity to spotlight how anyone can make an impact in their community and support students and educators. We are grateful for all those who believe in the importance of ensuring that all schools are healthy for people and for the planet and join us in achieving that mission.”

“The 2025 Best of Green Schools honorees are proof that sustainability in education is not just a goal, it’s a movement,” said Ileana Albareda, executive director at GSNN. “Their work is transforming schools into healthier, more resilient places for students to learn and thrive. They are part of a growing network of changemakers, and their leadership is inspiring others to take action, push boundaries and create lasting impact.”

This year’s Best of Green Schools winners represent some of the most engaged individuals and organizations in the green schools movement. In 2024, the Center for Green Schools reached over 2,000 people with its educational events, including 600 unique individuals from over 350 school districts. It published an online School Health Research Library and several new publications and briefings, including individual school health research highlights, a School District Indoor Air Quality Management Plan Toolkit and executive-level briefings on decarbonization and climate resilience planning.

The awards were presented to organizations or individuals in eight categories that have worked to move green schools forward. This year’s recipients are:

School System—Denver Public Schools

Denver Public Schools has worked on sustainability initiatives since 2009, focusing on environmental protection, economic prosperity and social development. The DPS sustainability team approaches its work with bold action, innovation and accountability, while engaging students and staff in creating a livable future and thriving learning environments.

K–12 Educator—Erin Stutzman

As an educator in the Boise School District, Stutzman empowers students through community outreach and project- and place-based learning, helping them use their voices to create meaningful change at local, state and national levels. In collaboration with Nez Perce youth and tribal elders in Lapwai, Idaho, her students have had the opportunity to learn from Indigenous customs and build partnerships around shared environmental goals. Together, they have secured rooftop solar panels through grant writing, advocated for climate action in schools and supported the nationally recognized Save Our T-Pack initiative to protect Idaho’s wolves.

Policy Maker—U.S. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) have been steadfast in supporting a federal role that ensures that high-need communities have resources to build and repair healthy, green schools for their students. They introduced the Rebuild America’s Schools Act, which, if passed, would invest $130 billion in school buildings. They have led the way for their colleagues for many years. In 2023, their offices were essential in funding a national clearinghouse for school infrastructure and a grant program to help states serve their school districts better.

K–12 School—Rochester School

The campus for Rochester School, in Colombia, was built in 2012 and was designed for sustainability, learning and health. The school has achieved over 70% energy savings and 40% potable water savings compared to a conventionally-built school of the same size. The campus features a solar aquatic center, intelligent classroom hubs, and other campus features that serve as a living textbook for the curriculum. The school takes pride in graduating students who embody the principles of these innovative systems and contribute to the world’s sustainable future.

Ambassador—Lauren Click

Lauren Click from Arizona is transforming food waste education in public schools. In 2024, Let’s Go Compost expanded from a single school to 111 public schools, 75% of which are Title I. Under her leadership, the nonprofit provides hands-on composting educational tools that make waste reduction education accessible and impactful for students nationwide.

Student Leader—Molly and Emma Weber

Emma Weber and Molly Weber from Boulder, Colorado, spearheaded a local campaign for climate justice in their school district that later expanded into a statewide movement. They built a network of over 60 students in their school district, won a first-of-its-kind Green New Deal for Schools resolution through their school board, and are currently working with state senators and representatives to pass legislation. Their efforts have focused on implementing sustainable infrastructure, climate curriculum, climate disaster plans and pathways to green jobs in public schools.

Business Leader—Texas Disposal Systems

Eco Academy, an education program of Texas Disposal Systems, is designed to help minimize waste in Central Texas schools by educating K–12 students about trash, recycling and composting options on their campuses. The program provides training, curriculum, signage and other educational materials for staff, administrators and students to make recycling fun and enable real-world application. Each school’s participation is documented, and diversion data is made available.

School District Champion—Darien Clary

Darien Clary, the director of sustainability at Austin Independent School District, has led efforts to integrate sustainability across 130 facilities, serving 73,000 students and 10,000 staff since 2016. Her work has influenced green building practices, renewable energy and sustainable food systems, earning recognition in The New York Times and Forbes. She has also authored publications on whole-school sustainability.

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