Penn Valley ES, Friends Of Cynwyd Trail Get 'Go For The Green' Awards

, Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail and Lower Merion High School senior Bobby Lundquist were honored at May 15's “Go For The Green” Environmental Awards, presented by Lower Merion Township’s Environmental Advisory Council, at Villanova's Appleford Estate.

The EAC's "Go For The Green" awards honor local people, organizations and businesses working toward environmental sustainability and green practices.

Penn Valley Elementary School students and teachers were honored for a variety of environmental achievements. The school implemented an “extensive and effective recycling program,” planted flower, vegetable and herb gardens at the school, installed a 5.3 kWh solar array, and raised $7,500 for the project in addition to receiving a $25,000 state grant. To date, “the array has saved nearly 4000 lbs of CO2,” the presentation stated.

Penn Valley also formed an Environmental Club (PVEC), comprised of 40 fourth and fifth grade students and three teachers. The group developed a “Be Bright, Turn Out the Lights” campaign and worked to expand the schools composting program.

Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail were also honored for their years of work creating and now, maintaining, the Bala Cynwyd . 

Lower Merion High School senior Bobby Lundquist received the eighth annual Sandy Drayer award.

Lundquist, who will attend the University of Pennsylvania in fall, was selected on the basis of his extracurricular participation and an essay he wrote in response to the prompt: "Name an environmental concern and state how you would address it using social media to address it locally, nationally and globally."

Lundquist spent a week on a farm as part of his senior project, and will return to spend another week on the farm soon, Drayer said.

Lundquist, who lives in Wynnewood, said it was an honor to receive the award.

"It’s very inspirational to see kids from the school I used to go to and teachers I used to have—it’s a continued mission."

Other award recipients were Norah Goldfine, who received the Joseph M. Manko Lifetime Achievement Award, Terren Landscapes, and Pasture Partners.

For more details on the award winners, view the presentation PDF, attached to this article.