Clear Lake Elementary was recently awarded for its environmentally-savvy lifestyle as it received its 11th Evergreen Award by the Michigan Green Schools Program.

This is the highest award offered by the Michigan Green Schools Program, which encourages public and private schools to participate in environmentally friendly and energy-saving activities.

Clear Lake’s Green Team program has been designated as a top-level Michigan Evergreen School by earning 20 out of a possible 20 points through completing extra environmentally-friendly activities.

Now in its 11th year of involvement with the Green Schools Program, Clear Lake Elementary once again has taken the highest honor offered by the program.

The Green Team program is headed by Danielle Corrigan, an Oxford resident and Clear Lake parent.

“It made me very proud. It shows the hard work that not only I do but all the teachers and the kids (do),” said Corrigan. “The kids were all so proud. It’s not just the Green Team, it’s something all of our kids do. I’ve noticed students on the playground picking up garbage on the playground and they’ll come hand it to me. Even the little things that we do here in Oxford can help make a big difference in the world.”

The Clear Lake Green Team has organized countless activities to educate students and teachers on how to be more “green.”

Clear Lake currently has a schoolwide photo contest underway, where students are invited to submit photos of nature.

Members of the Green Team were also challenged to give their teachers an “energy audit,” where they graded their teachers on how efficiently they save energy in the classroom.

Points are deducted for leaving classroom lights on, rather than using natural light, and for leaving desktop computers running.

“We always tell our students, if they can just teach one person to be mindful of the environment, they’ll be making a difference in the world,” said Corrigan.