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The Organic Cow(R) Cares Award Winners Are Rewarded for Making a Difference; Award Promotes Living and Teaching Organic Principles

Posted on: Tuesday, 12 September 2006, 09:00 CDT

The Organic Cow(R), New England's original organic milk brand, announced today the 2006 Organic Cow Cares Award winners. The Organic Cow received numerous entries from teachers, classrooms, schools and individuals and chose winners that best promoted organic principles, including the health benefits of organic foods, environmental stewardship, animal welfare and natural resource conservation.

Winning entries included a day care center that emphasizes teaching toddlers and pre-schoolers to respect and protect the environment, a teacher whose outdoor classroom project encourages kids to participate in community gardening by planting vegetables and raising earthworms, and a team of students that make a difference as they clean up the oceans and reduce pollution.

"The Organic Cow Cares Award was conceived as part of our ongoing commitment to the health and heritage of New England," said Caragh McLaughlin, director of marketing, The Organic Cow. "It is a pleasure and privilege to recognize and reward people who serve as organic stewards in their schools, homes and communities. We remain dedicated to our mission to improve the health of New England's families, communities and environment by expanding organic farming and making delicious organic milk available to as many people as possible. We are grateful to the people who live and teach organic principles everyday."

The following first place winners receive $1,200:

-- Abiyoyo Day Care - New Haven, Conn.

It's never too early to learn respect for nature and the environment. Just ask the families at Abiyoyo Cooperative Day Care and Preschool in New Haven, Connecticut. A healthy sense of stewardship for our planet comes naturally at Abiyoyo, where even little toddlers are encouraged to do their part in reducing waste and recycling. An on-site organic garden teaches valuable lessons in sustainable agriculture, and every trip to the playground is an opportunity to observe the squirrels, birds and plants that make up New Haven's urban wildlife landscape. Raves one happy parent: "My two-year-old son comes home talking about endangered species and the need to protect animal habitats!"

-- Ruth Beecher - Starksboro, Vt.

From science to art to literature, Ruth Beecher ties nearly every topic in her first-grade curriculum to the community and the environment. Several farm field trips throughout the year help students appreciate where vegetables, milk, wool and other agricultural products come from. Back in the classroom, lessons in cooking and nutrition help kids understand how our bodies work, and how our health, crops and communities all depend on one another. Ruth's class garden provides a home for countless butterflies and caterpillars - a great way for kids to develop a healthy sense of environmental stewardship. The kids also plant trees to reduce erosion near local streams.

-- The Compass School - Kingston, R.I.

At the Compass School in Kingston, Rhode Island, environmental responsibility isn't something students study; it's something they do. Lessons that begin in the classroom continue outside, as students explore the principles of sustainable agriculture in the school's organic garden. Even the lunch room is a center for learning, thanks to rigorous recycling and a compost program that puts food scraps to good use. Each spring, the Compass School shares its environmental perspective with the community in a school-wide Eco-Fair where students, families, natural foods vendors and local organic farmers join together in a green celebration.

-- Deborah Dubord - Mount Vernon, Maine

Deborah Dubord's Earth Science program takes second graders beyond the classroom. From boating to ice-fishing, Deborah plans aquatic excursions throughout the year to study ecology during all seasons. Each adventure introduces powerful new words like "future,""preservation" and "interconnected." In between field trips, Deborah lines up marine biologists and state environmental officials to share their knowledge with the kids. As a final project, the class helps with planting and mulching for protective landscaping at the town beach. In addition to teaching young Maine residents to cherish their natural resources, Deborah's program helps bring kids, parents and community members together in the educational process.

-- The Inventioneers - Londonderry, N.H.

How much can a few kids do to protect our oceans? Just ask The Inventioneers - a team of fifth and sixth graders from Londonderry, New Hampshire. What began as a school research project has blossomed into a full-scale public-awareness campaign spreading the word about marine pollution. The team began by meeting with their state representative, and then went on to produce a video public service announcement and a public access TV program. They've also taken their message to the classroom, teaching K-second graders about the dangers of trash - and especially plastic - in our oceans.

-- Mary Spaulding - Weston, Mass.

At Land Sake's Farm, organic ideals take root, flourish and bear fruit for the future. Under the guidance of Educational Coordinator Mary Spaulding, students in the farm's after-school program tend organic gardens while learning about the benefits of eating organic produce. Says one happy pupil: "Doing the work makes even the yuckiest vegetables seem appetizing!" Even preschoolers have plenty to learn on the farm, thanks to Mary's innovative "five senses" tours - complete with wormy compost bins. During the winter months, kids study the ecology and science of maple sugar, collecting sap from trees all over town and boiling it down at the local Sugar Shack. At the end of the season, students share what they've learned, acting as tour guides at the town's annual Land's Sake Sugaring-off Celebration. What sweeter way to honor the environment, the community and a precious New England tradition!

The second place winners receive $800:

-- Cole Family - Rochester, N.H.

For the Cole Family, respect for the planet begins at home. From shopping at local organic farm stands to using energy-efficient light bulbs to composting their kitchen scraps, this Earth-friendly family finds a way to weave environmental responsibility into the very fabric of their everyday world. In addition to supporting a healthy planet, the Cole's lifestyle also supports a healthy family by limiting exposure to pesticides and other toxins and increasing consumption of clean, locally produced food.

-- Sunnye Dreyfus - East Boston, Mass.

Something's growing in inner city Boston: a passion for the environment. Under the inspired guidance of teacher Sunnye Dreyfus, students at the Hugh Roe O'Donnell School in East Boston enjoy a rare urban opportunity to explore and nurture the natural world. Through her Outdoor Classroom project, Sunny introduces kids in grades K through 5 to concepts like organic farming, sustainable agriculture and respect for the community. The children work together to plant, tend and harvest their own schoolyard garden, then share their learning by hosting a neighborhood Earthworm Festival. Through these hands-on projects, Sunny gently guides her students toward lifelong habits of environmental stewardship and community involvement.

-- Julie White, Sacred Heart School - Groton, Conn.

As a middle school science teacher, Julie White isn't afraid to take on a messy situation - in this case, an in-depth study of the cleaning solutions used in the school cafeteria. Through extensive research, Julie's seventh graders determined that their existing cleaning product contributed toxins to the school environment. With further study, they identified an alternative brand, proven to clean just as effectively without the negative environmental impact. Finally, the students presented their findings to the school's principal, prompting a school-wide switch to a greener cleaner. In addition to learning about environmental toxins and alternative product choices, Julie's students experienced the pride and satisfaction of making a lasting positive impact in their community and their environment.

The third place winners receive $500:

-- Mary Carnie - Royalston, Mass.

For more than 20 years, Mary Carnie has helped her pupils build two essential lifelong habits: healthy snacking and helping others. For a small weekly contribution, kids in Mary's "Happy Apple Club" enjoy the chance to sample different fruits and learn about where they originated. They talk about nutrition, organic farming and the energy costs involved in eating fruit that has been transported over a long distance. Every two months, the club adds up their collected funds for a charitable donation. Mary Carnie's Happy Apple Club has endured more than two decades of ever-changing health fads and shifting classroom trends - Sure proof that when it comes to educating kids, nothing beats consistent thoughtful attention and a nice wholesome snack.

-- Katy Gibney - Goffstown, N.H.

As both Mom and home school teacher to her four children, Katy Gibney finds ample opportunity to teach environmental lessons through daily chores - especially when it comes to the garden. Katy's family raises most of their own produce from spring to fall, setting aside seeds each season to begin the next year's crops. She involves her kids in every phase of the garden's lifecycle, from planting and tending the seeds through harvesting the crops, preparing family meals, freezing produce for the winter and composting scraps for next spring's fertilizer. Beyond the garden, the Gibneys also make green choices in other household routines. By heating their house with wood and generating much of their electricity through wind power, they do all they can to help nurture and sustain a healthy planet.

-- Denis Kropov, Tomer Golan and Vladimir Markevich - New Haven, Conn.

For their school science fair, fifth graders Denis Kropov, Tomer Golan and Vladimir Markevich didn't just set out to win a prize; they set out to make a difference. Having heard about the dangers of antibiotics in dairy cows, these concerned students decided to study milk first-hand to see what they might discover. With help from their friends at Yale University, the team analyzed several types of milk in the lab. In the course of their work, the young scientists learned valuable lessons about the long-term health and environmental implications of conventional agriculture. Better still, by tackling a significant issue and seeking out answers on their own, they demonstrated the most valuable skill of all: the ability to think for themselves.

To learn more about The Organic Cow's products and living an organic lifestyle, visit www.theorganiccow.com.

About The Organic Cow

The Organic Cow is New England's original organic milk. Founded in 1990 on a 400-acre farm near Tunbridge, Vt., the brand has its roots firmly planted in the New England soil. Today, more than 200 northeast family farms produce milk for The Organic Cow, with partners located in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit www.theorganiccow.com.

Source: Business Wire

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