This week, at Modern Kids Design, we’d like to feature our nonprofit partner Grades of Green. We don’t often think of our children as caregivers. That is our role, but what if we were to teach them to become keepers of the most important charge of all: Planet Earth?

Driven by a vision of making “environmental protection ‘second nature’ in young minds,” Grades of Green positions students as change agents. Through interactive activities and hands-on experiences, children learn that their actions do make an impact, and that they have the power to guide their community towards healthier choices for our planet.

What began as a parent-led effort in California’s Manhattan Beach has become a nationwide movement, engaging 228 schools across 33 states. Grades of Green has been recognized by the White House, featured on PBS, and awarded the EPA’s prestigious Environmental Award. Their interactive website is packed with activities and learning resources that create measurable results and cost savings for schools while igniting a sense of environmental stewardship within its students.

Grades of Green revitalizes the academic experience, providing schools with activities that both engage and enrich students. Take, for example, the Trash Redux Initiative. Children guide their schools towards a zero waste platform by studying and implementing a “reduce, reuse, compost, and recycle” principle. Grades of Green positions students as young leaders, giving them the tools they need to implement lasting change in the academic community.

Young minds are the future. Our children have the power to make our planet a better, healthier, and more sustainable place; by positioning them as leaders, Grades of Green is giving kids a tangible sense of the difference they can make in the world. By using schools as a vehicle for change, the program also encourages kids to apply the knowledge they’ve acquired in the classroom to the community-at-large.

Grades of Green has a simple mission: “To inspire and empower kids and the broader school community to care about the environment.” But their impact is anything but humble. 145,467 students – from preschool to high school – are engaged in the Grades of Green community… And their actions are shaping the future of our planet everyday. At Modern Kids Design we love the work that Grades of Green is doing, and if you’d like a donation to go towards them when you shop with us, please click here.  We’d love to hear your thoughts on the impact kids can have on the environment too. So, as always, feel free to comment or send us an email with feedback. Thanks for reading!