Last trimester, we introduced our new "Making MyD97 Better" Award, which recognizes staff, students, parents, and community members who are making District 97 a better place for all. We will choose a winner each month, and share their stories through our newsletters, website, and social media pages.
We are proud to announce our "Making MyD97 Better" winner for January 2020: Ana Garcia-Doyle, parent and founder of the Green Team at Beye Elementary School.
For the last decade, Ana has worked incredibly hard to develop a Beye School Green Team run by parent volunteers. Under her leadership, the Green Team has implemented a number of initiatives in an effort to create a "green culture" within the school. Their accomplishments include:
- Securing $20,000 in grant money dedicated to zero waste initiatives, including purchasing lunchroom dishwashers and new water fountains compatible with water bottle refilling capacity.
- Helping the school divert 68 tons of solid waste from the landfill since 2008 through the school-wide recycling, composting and zero-waste programs.
- Helping Beye win the Environmental Hero Award from Illinois Governor Pat Quinn in 2011, as well as a 2012 Fitzsimmons Award for Excellence in Public Health from the Village of Oak Park.
Ana is an active leader in the zero-waste schools initiative in District 97, and is a participating member of village-wide groups, including the Oak Park-River Forest School Green Team Collaborative and Green Community Connections. She speaks professionally on topics of sustainability and is a founding member and executive director of the annual One Earth Film Festival. Additionally, Ana is a LEED Gold-certified green homeowner with her husband Jim and is a proud parent of three.
"Ana exudes passion and enthusiasm through her work and inspires others to action through her education and advocacy," said members of the Beye Green Team. "She serves as a valuable community resource not only to Beye School, but to the larger community as well."
Check out the short video we made for Ana by clicking the box below, or by visiting https://youtu.be/QFqTwnEbFHA.
Do you know someone—a teacher, staff member, parent, student or community member—who is helping to make D97 a better place for all? CLICK HERE to share their story and nominate them for a "Making MyD97 Better" Award!