Franklin Goes Green ... AGAIN! Thanks to the hard work of Cate, "young" Steve, Diane and their classes, Franklin was awarded a Michigan Green School plaque and flag this year. This year's activities included adopting a koala bear, refurbishing and fixing our birdhouses, auctioning off a stuffed koala bear, having a poster contest and planting a trees. We continue to recycle paper, batteries, cd's and cell phones.

Pictured below are participants of our school wide poster contest - first place went to Ashley Caddell.

The State of Michigan has an official Michigan Green School Law which encourages all public and private schools to participate in energy saving and environmental activities which protect Michigan’s resources. Schools choosing to participate must meet 10 out of 15 choices to qualify and then submit an application to their Intermediate School District. Schools meeting these qualifications will earn an official Michigan Green School designation which includes a flag and a handsome certificate to display.

Mike Beckwith, Superintendent of Branch ISD, presented flags and certificates to 7 area schools, including Franklin, on Earth Day – April 22nd, 2008. Franklin High School is working on the following energy saving and environmental activities:

1. School re-cycles paper and re-using magazines and newspaper.
2. School has a bird house habitat
3. Classes do energy audits of their classrooms and make important changes to become more energy efficient. (Coldwater district Energy Consultant, Deb Wright, has documented a savings to the district of $ 326,724.14 since August of 2005.)
4. School has a printer cartridge and cell phone recycling program.
5.  School has adopted an endangered species animal.
6.  School recycles batteries.
7. School observes Earth Day (April 22).
8. School holds a poster contest to support ecology concerns and a school display in conjunction with Earth Day.
9.  School employs a tree planting program with at least 10 seedlings.
10. School has established a recycling program for CD’s and DVD’s.
11. School keeps an active Bulletin Board of relevant activities.