Green Schoolyards America: Comprehensive Company Profile

Background

Mission and Vision

Green Schoolyards America is dedicated to transforming traditional asphalt-covered school grounds into vibrant, park-like green spaces. This transformation aims to enhance children's well-being, learning, and play, while also contributing to the ecological health and climate resilience of their communities. The organization envisions a future where all children have daily access to nature on their school grounds, fostering dynamic hands-on learning, child-directed play, and positive social environments.

Primary Area of Focus and Industry Significance

Operating within the environmental services sector, Green Schoolyards America focuses on the greening of school grounds across the United States. By partnering with school districts and public agencies, the organization aims to create large-scale living schoolyard programs that transform underutilized school grounds into ecologically rich, park-like spaces. This initiative is significant in promoting environmental sustainability, enhancing educational outcomes, and improving public health.

Key Strategic Focus

Core Objectives

• Environmental Transformation: Convert asphalt-covered school grounds into green spaces that support biodiversity and ecological health.

• Educational Enhancement: Provide students with outdoor learning environments that improve engagement and academic performance.

• Community Engagement: Create spaces that serve both students and the broader community, fostering social interaction and community cohesion.

Specific Areas of Specialization

• Schoolyard Greening: Design and implement green infrastructure on school grounds to promote environmental education and sustainability.

• Outdoor Learning: Develop programs and resources that integrate outdoor learning into the PreK-12 education system.

• Policy Advocacy: Advocate for policies that support the creation and management of living schoolyards at various governmental levels.

Key Technologies Utilized

• Ecological Design: Employ principles of ecological design to create sustainable and resilient green spaces.

• Community Engagement Tools: Utilize participatory design processes to involve students, educators, and community members in the transformation of school grounds.

Primary Markets or Conditions Targeted

• Urban School Districts: Focus on transforming underutilized urban school grounds into green spaces.

• Communities Facing Environmental Challenges: Prioritize areas impacted by climate change, such as those experiencing extreme heat or limited access to green spaces.

Financials and Funding

As a nonprofit organization, Green Schoolyards America is fiscally sponsored by Earth Island Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. This arrangement allows the organization to focus on its mission while benefiting from the fiscal oversight and support provided by Earth Island Institute.

Pipeline Development

Green Schoolyards America has initiated several key programs to advance its mission:

• California Schoolyard Forest System℠: A statewide initiative launched in 2022 to increase tree canopy on public school grounds across California, aiming to provide shade and protect students from extreme heat and rising temperatures due to climate change.

• National Outdoor Learning Library: A free online resource library designed to help schools and districts move their classes and programs outside, providing interdisciplinary content to support outdoor learning experiences for students of all ages.

• National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative: Co-founded in May 2020, this initiative supports the creation of outdoor learning environments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to provide safe and engaging spaces for students during the health crisis.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Proprietary Technologies

• Schoolyard Forest System℠: A comprehensive program that guides the creation and management of schoolyard forests, integrating ecological design principles to enhance environmental sustainability and provide educational opportunities.

Significant Scientific Methods

• Participatory Design Processes: Engage students, educators, and community members in the design and implementation of green schoolyards, ensuring that the spaces meet the needs and preferences of those who will use them.

• Ecological Assessments: Conduct thorough evaluations of existing school grounds to inform the design of green spaces that support biodiversity and ecological health.

Leadership Team

Green Schoolyards America's leadership team comprises individuals with diverse expertise in environmental planning, education, and community engagement:

• Sharon Gamson Danks, MLA-MCP: CEO and Founder. An environmental city planner and social entrepreneur, Sharon has over 20 years of experience in transforming school grounds into vibrant, nature-rich public spaces. She is the author of "Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation" and became an Ashoka Fellow in 2017.

• Alejandra Chiesa, MLA MSc: Vice President. As the California State Director, Alejandra oversees the organization's work in California, providing strategic leadership to develop and implement programs with school districts and public agencies. She has over 20 years of experience as a landscape architect and previously led the Bay Area Program at the Trust for Public Land.

• Ayesha Ercelawn, MES: Senior Program Manager and Education Specialist. Ayesha leads education-focused programming, ensuring that Green Schoolyards America centers students and teachers in its work. She has over 20 years of experience teaching and developing outdoor environmental education curriculum in green schoolyards.

• Erica Fine, EdM: Associate Director, Development and Communications. Erica oversees grants, donor cultivation, and external communications. She has a background in environmental education and has worked with organizations such as Thorne Nature Experience and the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance.

• Sarah Matsumoto: Director of Policy and Government Affairs