Application Help
Getting Help With Your Application
If you’re having trouble with or have questions about your application,
the first place to seek help is your state ED – Green Ribbon contact. Schools apply to state departments of education for states’ nomination to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and cannot apply directly to the Department for the award. Please inquire first with your state ED - Green Ribbon contact below if you are interested in applying to become a nominee or have questions about your state application. (If a state is not listed below, it did not sign up for the 2012 pilot yeat to participate in Green Ribbon.)
The following are the official ED- Green Ribbon contacts for each participating state department of education:
Alabama
Robin Nelson , Science Coordinator
(334) 353-9893 , rnelson@alsde.edu
Arizona
Milt Ericksen, Director of Outreach, Health and Nutrition section
Arkansas
Dr. Charles Stein
501-682-4261, charles.stein@arkansas.gov
California
Kathleen Seabourne, Administrator, Facilities Planning Policy and Standards Unit
916-323-3926, KSeabour@cde.ca.gov
Colorado
Lynn Bamberry, Director, Competitive Grants and Awards
303-866-6813, bamberry_l@cde.state.co.us
Delaware
Alison Kepner
District of Columbia
Sam Ullery, School Garden Specialist
(202) 741-6485, sam.ullery@dc.gov
Florida
Penny Detscher, Director – Office of Healthy Schools
Georgia
Matt Cardoza, Director of Communications
(404) 651-7358, mcardoza@doe.k12.ga.us
Hawaii
Randolph G. Moore, Assistant Superintendent
(808) 586-3488, Randy_Moore/OSFSS/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us
Illinois
Matt Vanover, Director of Public Information
(217) 782-4648, mvanover@isbe.net
Iowa
Gary Schwartz, Education Program Consultant
(515) 281-4743, Gary.Schwartz@iowa.gov
Kansas
Matt Krehbiel, Science Program Consultant
(785)296-8108, mkrehbiel@ksde.org
Kentucky
Paige Patterson-Grant
(502) 564-5279, Paige.Patterson@education.ky.gov
Louisiana
Jean May-Brett, STEM Partnership Coordinator
225.342.8993, jean.may-brett@la.gov
Maryland
Gary Hedges, Science Specialist
410.767.0323, ghedges@msde.state.md.us
Michigan
Patty Cantu, Director, Office of Career and Technical Education
517-241-2990, CantuP@michigan.gov
Minnesota
Jeff Ledermann, Environmental and Outdoor Education Coordinator
651-582-8602, jeff.ledermann@state.mn.us
Mississippi
Christine Philley, School Health Administrator
601-359-1737, CPhilley@mde.k12.ms.us
Missouri
Shaun Bates, Education Consultant
573.751.4445, shaun.bates@dese.mo.gov,
Nebraska
Jim Woodland
402.471.4329, Jim.Woodland@nebraska.gov
New Jersey
Michael Heinz, Science Coordinator
609.984.7453, michael.heinz@doe.state.nj.us
New York
Carl T. Thurnau, Director of Facilities
(518) 474-3906, CTHURNAU@MAIL.NYSED.GOV
North Carolina
Steve Zetts, Consulting Architect, School Planning
Steve.Zetts@dpi.nc.gov, 919.807.3565
North Dakota
Linda M. Paluck, Blue Ribbon Schools & Green Ribbon Schools
701-328-1718, lpaluck@nd.gov
Ohio
Kimberly Mullen, Assistant Director, Research and Resource Development
614-387-2275, Kimberly.Mullen@ode.state.oh.us
Oregon
Ed Dennis
503.551.8638, ed.dennis@state.or.us
Pennsylvania
Patricia L. Vathis, Environment and Ecology Curriculum Advisor
717.783.6994, pvathis@pa.gov
Rhode Island
Joseph Paul da Silva, School Construction Coordinator
(401) 222-4294, joseph.dasilva@ride.ri.gov
Utah
Shannon Buchanan, Science Education Specialist
801-538-7808, shannon.buchanan@schools.utah.gov
Virginia
Eric M. Rhoades, Science Coordinator
804.786.2481, Eric.Rhoades@doe.virginia.gov
Washington
Gilda Wheeler, Program Supervisor, Sustainability and Science
360.725.4976, Gilda.Wheeler@k12.wa.us
West Virginia
Mike Pickens, Executive Director, Office of School Facilities
304-558-5711, mepicken@access.k12.wv.us
Wisconsin
Victoria Rydberg, Environmental Education Consultant
608-266-0419, victoria.rydberg@dpi.wi.gov
Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Education
Brandi Sweet, Program Analyst
202-208-5504, greenribbonschools@bie.edu
In addition, members of the GRSP will do their best to help you, given that no two state applications are exactly alike. Feel free to shoot a note with your questions to one of the following:
eco-schoolsusa@nwf.org (National Wildlife Federations’ Eco-Schools USA program), OR
education@earthday.org (Earth Day Network), OR
you can find out if your state has a chapter of the US Green Building Council here: www.usgbc.org/FindaChapter/ChapList.aspx, and email your state chapter contact directly.
Finally, many states have green school programs which can provide useful information and support for schools working to become a green school and/or applying for Green Ribbon. The following are links to many of these programs:
- Arizona Children’s Environmental Health Program: Green Schools
- California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Green Schools
- Florida Green Schools Network
- Environmental Education in Georgia
- Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation
- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency: Green School Programs
- Illinois Resource Guide for Healthy, High Performing School Buildings
- Indiana Department of Environmental Management Green Steps Program
- Kansas Green Schools Program
- Kentucky Green & Healthy Schools
- Massachusetts School Building Authority: Green Schools
- Massachusetts greenschools
- Maryland Green School Awards Program
- Michigan Green Schools Program
- Minnesota Department of Health – Healthy School Environment Program
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
- New Jersey Sustainable Schools Consortium
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: Green Schools
- New York State “Green Schools” Challenge
- New York’s Green Cleaning Program
- Oklahoma Green Schools Program
- Oregon Green Schools
- Oregon Sustainable Schools Collaborative
- South Carolina Green Steps Schools
- Tennessee Green Schools Program
- Texas Green Ribbon Schools
- Virginia Municipal League’s Green Public Schools Challenge
- Washington Green Schools
- Washington Education for Environment and Sustainability
- Wisconsin Green & Healthy Schools Program