Middle School Students Win School of the Future Design Contest

In March 2009, Bustler reported on students from Imago Dei Middle School, Tucson, AZ, winning the regional School of the Future Student Design Competition. Now, the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) announced the Imago Dei students as winners of the national 2009 Award of Excellence during an award ceremony in Washington, DC.

“Successful schools build successful communities.” said Sue Robertson, CEFPI president. “Today’s students, tomorrow’s green builders, are committed to creating healthy, high performing schools and communities. Let’s supply them with all the tools they need to improve the places where children learn. And then, let’s really listen to them—because they have some really good ideas!”

Middle school students across the country participated in the School of the Future Competition which is sponsored by the Council of Educational Facility Planners International and the National Association of Realtors® along with the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Institute of Architects, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and more than 30 organizations and private companies.

The annual competition challenges teams to think creatively as they design tomorrow’s green schools to enhance learning, conserve resources, be environmentally responsive and engage the surrounding community. The multidisciplinary solution requires students to submit a project model made from recycled materials, a narrative description and short video or PowerPoint documenting the planning process and project rationale.

The Award of Excellence went to Imago Dei Middle School, Tucson, AZ, with Explorer Middle School, Everett, WA capturing second place. Seneca Middle School, Macomb, MI and The Gereau Center, Rocky Mount, VA, tied for third place. Awards of commendation were presented to Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, Old Lyme, CT and Charles Hart Middle School, Washington, DC.

Imago Dei received $2,000 for their first-place project which demonstrated a truly integrated green design approach. Community first was evident in their innovative sustainable design. Deeply engaged with the community, the students chose an abandoned neighborhood site to construct their school using recycled building materials from a vacant building. The students created their own bricks for the project, utilizing the available sand and materials onsite. Exchanging ideas with students in France and Mali, the project promoted collaboration on a global scale, articulating their proclamation, “The world is our classroom.”

The $1,500 second place prize went to Explorer Middle School for their very holistic presentation. The students focused on cooperative learning and clearly worked as a team, incorporating technology, colors and lighting that would reach all learners: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. They conducted comprehensive research and demonstrated resourceful use of green building principles in their project which included a wetland, composting areas and grey water recycling as well as the use of recycled jeans for insulation. Sports fields were shared with the community who also enjoyed access to the school’s computer labs, gym, library and auditorium.

Awards of $1,000 went to Seneca Middle School and The Gereau Center for their third place projects. Leading edge technology was key to the Seneca Middle School team, who issued “I-Touch” computers to every student and created “smart glass” room dividers, “smart bricks” and a student “smart card” containing a GPS chip for building access. Academic innovations included expanding and contracting classrooms to accommodate team teaching and provide for growth in student population. Methodically integrating the site features, Seneca’s green design also incorporated rainwater gardens, solar panels and wind turbines.

The Gereau Center students responded to real issues in their lives and developed useful and creative solutions, designing a school responsive to the basic human needs of its users – safety, nutrition, indoor air quality, and comfort. Reflecting the local environment, the school’s sustainable roof and shell mirrored the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. An “Educational Power Strip” had the capability to grow along with student population and the needs of the community. The Gereau Center integrated green building principles through the use of recycled materials, geothermal heating and air conditioning, solar hot water heaters and triple pane glass.

Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School and Charles Hart Middle School each received $500 for their outstanding projects. The Lyme-Old Lyme students expressed a strong grasp of sustainable concepts. The focal point of their design was a geodesic dome, housing a roof deck area. Unique “Pedal Power” bicycles located on the roof deck area supplied the building’s electricity. Demonstrating a strong sense of social responsibility and community engagement, the students developed recycling, composting and other green programs that impacted their local community and beyond.

The students at Charles Hart Middle School incorporated safety and security into their design. Use of a green roof, bio walls and recycled denim ensured a healthy environment with good indoor air quality. The building’s green roof served as an outdoor classroom for the study of biology and ecology, including a garden to grow plants for the school’s landscaping and organic vegetables for their cafeteria. A second green roof housed the football field, with a swimming pool located beneath.

The Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) is the only professional organization whose principal purpose is improving the places where children learn. CEFPI embraces a diverse group of professionals with one single goal – building healthy, safe, high performance schools that enhance student and teacher performance and support culture and community vitality. To learn more, visit www.cefpi.org.