Goddard Schools across the nation will help spread the message that by working together, the nation’s youth can make a positive impact on the environment and propel the country toward a sustainable future. Goddard Schools in 37 states will launch an entire week of activities and lesson plans beginning March 21 leading up to a big celebration for the Stepping Up for the Environment event on March 25 at 10 a.m., a day before the global event.

“This is an exciting opportunity for our teachers and children to get creative in ‘stepping up’ awareness about saving energy and the environment,” says Joseph Schumacher, CEO of GSI. “Joining Earth Hour enables our students to learn important lessons about the environment and get the message out to their families and in their communities.”

Individual Goddard Schools will integrate environmental education into art projects, science lessons and even snack time. Classes will nominate an official “Lightning Bug,” who will be responsible for always turning off the classroom lights when the children exit the room. Students will also create invitations asking parents and neighboring buildings to join them in Earth Hour.

On March 25th, Goddard Schools will celebrate Earth Hour with Stepping Up for the Environment. The event will consist of GSI’s 45,000 students participating in a day of environmentally friendly activities. At 10 a.m., schools will turn off any non-essential lighting for one hour.

“Although our schools won’t be in session during the global Earth Hour celebration, we still wanted our students to be involved in the annual event,” said Schumacher. “By holding Stepping Up for the Environment on the Friday before Earth Hour, we’re hoping many of our students will become advocates for the cause and encourage their families to participate on Saturday.”

For more information on The Goddard School and Stepping Up for the Environment, visit www.goddardschool.com/Default.gspx.

Across 350 Goddard Schools nationwide, more than 40,000 children will help spread the message that by working together, each one of them can make a positive impact toward a sustainable future. The Goddard Schools will launch an entire week of activities and lesson plans beginning March 22 leading up to a big celebration for the Stepping Up for the Environment event on March 26 at 10 a.m., when schools will turn off any non-essential lighting for one hour.

“We want children to think about how we all impact the environment in our daily lives and how each one of us can make a difference. Earth Hour provides a great opportunity to accomplish that,” said Joseph Schumacher, CEO of Goddard Systems, Inc. “As educators and as parents, we want to help children understand that how they care for and protect the earth will affect future generations.”

In preparation for Earth Hour, Goddard Schools will integrate the environment into a number of engaging learning activities including art projects, science lessons and even snack time! Classes will build musical instruments out of recycled materials and hold newspaper fashion shows using costumes that students create from old newspapers, magazines and paper bags. Schools will also nominate an official “Lightning Bug,” who will be responsible for always turning off the classroom lights when the children exit the room.

This year, Goddard Schools will get global. Classes will team up with preschools in sister cities across the globe and exchange drawings and ideas for helping the environment. Then the children will “green” their own communities, by planting trees and picking up trash around school grounds. They will also create invitations asking parents and neighboring buildings to join them in Earth Hour, as well as city officials and environmental leaders, to join them in the week’s Earth Hour activities.

On March 26, a day before the global Earth Hour event, Goddard Schools will celebrate Earth Hour with the Stepping Up for the Environment celebration. Goddard Schools across the country will create a large banner and students will decorate it with handprints and footprints, leaving their own little “carbon” footprint. Then, at 10 a.m., schools will turn off any non-essential lighting for one hour.

Participation in Earth Hour supports Goddard Systems, Inc.’s ongoing efforts and commitment to the environment.  Recently, Goddard has become involved with Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) which give schools the option of purchasing wind energy credits, offsetting 100% of a schools electricity usage with clean, renewable wind power.